Open Access Paper
12 July 2019 SCOPE: a coronagraph for operational space weather prediction: phase A/B1 design and breadboarding
Kevin F. Middleton, Heiko Anwand, Volker Bothmer, Jackie A. Davies, Andrew Earle, Klaus Ergenzinger, Chris J. Eyles, Robert Hardie, Marie-Laure Hellin, Johannes Hinrichs, Philipp Huke, Piers Jiggens, Volker Kirschner, Emmanuel Mazy, Thomas McCarron, Bogdan Nicula, Lars Stopfkuchen, S. James Tappin, Ian A. J. Tosh, Nick R. Waltham, Matthew J. West
Author Affiliations +
Proceedings Volume 11180, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2018; 111803A (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2536037
Event: International Conference on Space Optics - ICSO 2018, 2018, Chania, Greece
Abstract
Accurate prediction of the arrival of solar wind phenomena, in particular coronal mass ejections (CMEs), is becoming more important given our ever-increasing reliance on technology. SCOPE is a coronagraph specifically optimised for operational space weather prediction, designed to provide early evidence of Earth-bound CMEs. In this paper, we present results from phase A/B1 of the instrument’s development, which included conceptual design and a program of breadboard testing.

We describe the conceptual design of the instrument. In particular, we explain the design and analysis of the straylight rejection baffles and occulter needed to block the image of the solar disc, in order to render the much fainter corona visible. We discuss the development of in-house analysis code to predict the straylight diffraction effects that limit the instrument’s performance, and present results, which we compare against commercially available analysis tools and the results from breadboard testing. In particular, we discuss some of the challenges of predicting straylight effects in this type of instrument and the methods we have developed for overcoming them.

We present the test results from an optical breadboard, designed to verify the end-to-end straylight rejection of the instrument. The design and development of both the breadboard and the test facility is presented. We discuss some of the challenges of measuring very low levels of straylight and how these drive the breadboard and test facility design. We discuss the test and analysis procedures developed to ensure a representative, complete characterisation of the instrument’s straylight response.
© (2019) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Kevin F. Middleton, Heiko Anwand, Volker Bothmer, Jackie A. Davies, Andrew Earle, Klaus Ergenzinger, Chris J. Eyles, Robert Hardie, Marie-Laure Hellin, Johannes Hinrichs, Philipp Huke, Piers Jiggens, Volker Kirschner, Emmanuel Mazy, Thomas McCarron, Bogdan Nicula, Lars Stopfkuchen, S. James Tappin, Ian A. J. Tosh, Nick R. Waltham, and Matthew J. West "SCOPE: a coronagraph for operational space weather prediction: phase A/B1 design and breadboarding", Proc. SPIE 11180, International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2018, 111803A (12 July 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2536037
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KEYWORDS
Sensors

Camera shutters

CCD image sensors

Coronagraphy

Space operations

Temperature sensors

Solar processes

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