China’s first comprehensive solar probe, the Kuafu-1, has detected over 100 white-light flares since its launch in October 2022, according to the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The Kuafu-1 probe, named after a giant in Chinese mythology who chased the sun, has been orbiting Earth to observe solar activities. The detection of more than 120 white-light flares by December 2023 marks a significant achievement in understanding solar phenomena.
White-light flares are bursts on the sun whose usual line emissions are accompanied by enhanced continuum radiation in the visible spectrum. These high-energy flares can significantly impact space weather, potentially causing disruptions in ground communications and interfering with spacecraft operations.
“The observations of Kuafu-1 suggest that white-light flares are not as rare as previously realized,” said Gan Weiqun, chief scientist of Kuafu-1 from PMO. “We will continue to combine multi-band observations from other satellites to study white-light flares comprehensively and provide a theoretical basis for space weather forecasting for China.”
Since its launch, Kuafu-1 has recorded about 600 terabytes of raw solar observations. It has become the world’s first near-Earth satellite telescope capable of simultaneously monitoring solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and the sun’s magnetic field. These observations provide invaluable data for researchers exploring the physical nature of solar flares and their effects on Earth.
The findings from Kuafu-1 are expected to enhance our understanding of solar activity and improve forecasting models for space weather, benefiting not only China but the global community reliant on satellite communications and space-based technologies.
