SAMM: the solar activity MOF monitor

Abstract

Solar activity and related space weather phenomena can have a potential impact on the space environment and affect critical infrastructures and systems like, for instance, communication networks, power grids, aviation systems. It is therefore of fundamental importance to forecast these events enough in advance (several hours) to put in place mitigation strategies that can reduce the associated risks. The forecasting of solar activity is only possible by monitoring the complex magnetic structures in the Suns atmosphere that can give birth to sudden explosive events. SAMM, the solar activity MOF monitor, is an undergoing project at INAF-OAR in cooperation with a SME industry (DS Group srl - Avalon Instruments) and funded by the Italian Ministry for economic development (MiSE), for the realization of a robotic telescope, based upon magneto-optical filters, for the continuous monitoring of the magnetic field topology and the Doppler velocity of the plasma, at multiple heights in the solar atmosphere. The first channel of SAMM is currently under on-sky tests and system evaluation.