Mauna Loa Solar Observatory

Two domes house the sensors

The Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) is a collection of instruments for observing the sun located on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano on the island of Hawaii, USA at an elevation of 11,135 feet (3,394 m).

General information

The MLSO is operated by the High Altitude Observatory, which is a laboratory within the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The observatory is tasked with monitoring the solar atmosphere and recording data on plasmic and energetic emissions from the chromosphere and corona. Studies of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are conducted at MLSO. All data are available from the MLSO web page: http://mlso.hao.ucar.edu ^[1]

Instruments

The MLSO contains instruments to record images of the solar disc and limb, every 3 minutes between 17:00 UT and 0230 UT weather permitting. The instruments currently operated at the observatory are:

• MK4 K-Coronameter - White Light Corona (field-of-view: 1.09 to 2.79 solar radii)
• PICS Ha Limb/Disk - Chromosphere ~ 1600 km Decommissioned
• Coronado Solarmax 60 Ha Limb/Disk Imagining - Chromosphere ~
• CoMP Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter - Near IR Coronal Polarimeter
• CHIP Helium-I Imager - Chromosphere ~ 2000 km and coronal holes
• PSPT - Photosphere (surface) and the chromosphere ~ 400 km

The site is shared with the Mauna Loa Observatory run by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration at coordinates 19°32′10″N 155°34′34″W / 19.53611°N 155.57611°W / 19.53611; -155.57611Coordinates: 19°32′10″N 155°34′34″W / 19.53611°N 155.57611°W / 19.53611; -155.57611, about two miles north of Mokuaweoweo, the summit of Mauna Loa.

References

1. ^ "Mauna Loa Solar Observatory". official web site. http://mlso.hao.ucar.edu. Retrieved 2009-07-04.