Queen’s University Belfast announced Tuesday that a $344million project was being undertaken to create cameras for the largest, most innovative solar telescope in the world. The project will be managed by Andor Technology (a Belfast-based company), and Queen’s University Belfast. Eight British universities will build the cameras as part of DKIST (the Daniel K Inouye Solar Telescope), which is located in Hawaii. Named after Dan Inouye (1924-2012)., the telescope was named in honor of the late Senator Dan Inouye. DKIST will be four metres in diameter and constructed at the US National Solar Observatory, Haleakala Mountain, Maui, Hawaii. The DKIST will have unprecedented ability to see the Sun’s surface from distances of 100 kilometers. DKIST will become the largest and most powerful solar telescope in the world. It will be built in Hawaii. DKIST is expected to answer fundamental questions in contemporary solar physics. The DKIST will enable high-speed, sub-second-timescale spectroscopic (sub-second) magnetic and optical measurements of the Sun’s photosphere (visible surface), the chromosphere and corona. DKIST will be funded by the US National Science Foundation, with PS2.5 million funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council. The new telescope, according to scientists, will allow us to better understand how space weather is affected by solar flares and the long-term effects of changes in the Sun on climate change. The UK consortium’s principal investigator, Professor Mihalis Mathioudakis, of Queen’s University Belfast’s Astrophysics Research Centre, stated: “The Sun, which drives space weather, has profound impacts on the global climate, and technology-based communication, and is therefore the most important astronomical object.” We need to understand the processes of solar activity on the intrinsic spatial and temporal scales in order to predict it. “Scientific discoveries require technological innovation. They play an important role in economic growth. DKIST is an innovative instrument for ground-based, solar physics. This area of research has been a growing one in the UK. “The DKIST team will be able to answer key questions about solar magnetic field generation, dissipation and solar variability. DKIST will be able to attain these scientific goals through the help of our consortium. It’s also another example of Queen’s research impact on society. The consortium includes Armagh Observatory, the Universities of Glasgow and Sheffield as well as Northumbria and University College London. Andor Technology (a Queen’s University spinout) and Science and Technologies Facilities Council will be part of the consortium. DKIST Director Dr Thomas Rimmele said that the UK consortium is a great partner. DKIST is the most powerful global solar telescope. It is an asset that the Queen’s University Belfast-led group has scientific and technical expertise. Dr. Donal denvir, Technical Director at Andor Technology said, “Andor will play an important role in designing and manufacturing state-of the-art detectors to support this highly publicized, solar-physics initiative. This technology provides a unique combination of high performance specifications that are simply not available today. It will be a solution that will enable not only next-generation solar studies but also for the larger professional astronomy community. The effects of solar eruptions on planets can disrupt communications networks and cause damage to power stations. It is therefore crucial to understand how these eruptions occur.
Queen’s University Belfast leads the largest global solar telescope camera project
