SMILE Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer Novel and global X-ray imaging of the Sun – Earth connection Graziella Branduardi-Raymont Chi Wang UCL – MSSL CAS – NSSC and the SMILE collaboration (ESA, CAS and European, Canada, USA, China institutions) The X-ray Universe 2017, Rome 6 – 9 June 2017 SMILE scientific objectives SMILE SXI simulation FUV image from IMAGE SDO EUV image Artist’s impression - NASA • Investigate the dynamic response of the Earth’s magnetosphere to the solar wind impact in a unique and global manner • Combine Solar Wind Charge eXchange (SWCX) X-ray imaging of the dayside magnetosheath and the cusps with simultaneous UV imaging of the northern aurora, while monitoring the solar wind / magnetosheath conditions in situ, from a highly elliptical polar orbit • Full chain of events that drive Sun-Earth relationships : dayside reconnection / magnetospheric substorm cycle / CME-driven storms From unwanted variable soft X-ray bkg … • LTE of the ROSAT All Sky Survey ¼ keV background Snowden et al. 1995 • Time variable O emission lines Chandra ACIS on the dark side of the Moon Wargelin et al. 2004 Correlation with solar wind flux SWCX (Solar Wind Charge eXchange) in Earth’s geocorona • Suzaku observations of the NEP: Increase in soft X-ray lines correlated with solar wind proton flux Fujimoto et al. 2007 • Systematic study with XMM-Newton Carter et al. 2008, 2010 (CME), 2011 … and then we got to SMILE SMILE precursors SMILE SXI simulation FUV image from IMAGE SDO EUV image Artist’s impression - NASA • X-rays from the magnetosphere: from ‘ noise ’ to diagnostic tool • Early concept missions: MagEX ( Sembay et al. 2008; Collier et al. 2009 ) and STORM (Kuntz et al. 2008; Sibeck et al. 2011; Collier et al. 2015 ) proposed to NASA; AXIOM and AXIOM-C ( B-R et al. 2010, 2012 ) to ESA • Lobster eye optic: DXL/STORM flights (Thomas et al. 2013, Collier et al. 2015) • Concept has matured substantially SMILE selected in June 2015 for joint ESA - CAS mission with launch expected at end 2021 • Phase A: Detailed mission configuration and instruments design ongoing SMILE Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) CCD Detector Plane Lobster-eye Micropore Optic Photon counting: Event lists Ultra-wide field of view with 1 to 2 s time resolution ~16 ° x 27 ° High QE in soft X-rays Focal length 30 cm ~80% at 250 eV Optic Mass < 1kg Medium energy resolution ~50 eV FWHM at 500 eV Instrument ~ 26 kg 140912_IMF_turning_larger_alpha_o3_1905 SWCX Spectrum N : 22.69 cm -3 V : 623.14 km s -1 By: 7.89 nT Bz: 14.87 nT 1.0000 SW SW Input CX spectrum Position: 8.58 5.16 17.03 GSE Aim Point: 8.48 0.00 0.00 GSE 0.1000 MHD Simulation Counts (Bgd.Subtr.): 300 s 0.0100 120 20 20 100 ) 0.0010 -1 100 sr Relative Intensity Relative -1 s 10 1 -2 10 80 0.0001 80 1000.0 Observed BGD subtracted spectrum 54.8 Kcts 60 -1 0 0 100.0 C VI O VII Degrees 60 Degrees O VIII Fe keV 40 -1 -10 10.0 -10 Ne X 40 Mg XIMg XI Cts per 1.0x1.0 1.0x1.0 per pixel Cts deg Cts s Cts CX IntensityCX cm (keV 20 1.0 Si SiXIII XIV -20 20 -20 0 0.1 -30 -20 -10 0 10 -20 -10 0 10 0.2 1 2 Degrees Degrees Energy (keV) PI S. Sembay, Univ. of Leicester, UK SMILE UltraViolet Imager (UVI) • Four mirror reflective UV imager of whole northern aurora at high spatial and temporal resolution • UV bandpass (160-190 nm) achieved coating optical & detector surfaces • Image intensifier detector (photocathode MCP phosphor (554 nm) CMOS sensor) PI E. Donovan, Univ. of Calgary, Canada SMILE Light Ion Analyser (LIA) & MAGnetometer (MAG) • Top-hat analyser for p and α • Fluxgate magnetometer for density, velocity and temperature magnetic field strength and direction • Energy range: 50 eV - 20 keV • 2.5 m boom, sensors separated • FOV : 360 o and up to +/-45 o by 0.8-1 m with deflector plates PI L. Dai, NSSC, CAS, China PI L. Li, NSSC, CAS, China SMILE spacecraft SXI UVI LIA Radiator Payload Module MAG boom Service Module From ESA-CAS CDF SMILE shares of responsibilities • CAS provides the Propulsion Module, Service Module, Spacecraft Prime, Mission Operations (with ESA contribution), Chinese instruments • ESA provides the Payload Module, launcher, AIT facilities for spacecraft integration and testing; ESA member states/Canada provide instruments SMILE orbit Baseline: ~ 5000 km x 120,000 km HEO, ~ 41h science operations (SXI & UVI) Ground stations: Troll (Antarctica), possibly Kourou (French Guyana) and Sanya (China) Launch (2021): Soyuz or Ariane 6 (dual launch into SSO 700 km; 98 o incl.) or Vega-C (single passenger, ~70 o incl.), both from Kourou From ESA-CAS CDF 17th March 2015 storm event conditions T. Sun, NSSC, CAS, China In summary … SMILE SXI simulation FUV image from IMAGE SDO EUV image Artist’s impression - NASA • X-rays from the magnetosphere: from ‘ unwanted background ’ for X-ray astrophysical observatories to diagnostic tool of Sun-Earth relationships • SMILE will provide direct scientific input to the studies of space weather by providing the remote sensing measurements needed to validate global models of solar wind-magnetosphere interactions • Outreach : Images and movies will captivate public to science (magnetic field) so far invisible • Cooperation with China : SMILE is a showcase, building on Double Star Thank you.