SMILE SXI

Soft X-ray Imager

SXI is the X-rax instrument on the Chinese-European Mission SMILE
(Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer)

VISIT PROJECT SITE

ROLE OF THE INSTITUTE FOR DATA SCIENCE

> Thermal design of SXI

> Imaging software

> Data analysis and interpretation

Project lead at I4Ds: Säm Krucker

Partners: FHNW IPP, ZHAW, University of Leicester, Koegl Space, Space Acoustics

Funding: Swiss Prodex

Start: December 2018
Launch: 2023

Keywords: space sciences, heliophysics, space weather, Smile mission

SUMMARY

The space mission SMILE will orbit the Earth in an elliptical pathway from 5000 km above the Earth to one third of the distance to the moon. While previous studies used observations from within or around Earth’s magnetic field, SMILE will take images and movies from outside of Earth’s protective magnetic shield. We will see the region where the solar wind slams into the Earth’s magnetic field. With these global and time dependent images, SMILE will revolutionize our understanding of the influences of space weather on our planet.

PEOPLE @FHNW WHO WORK ON SXI

Prof. Dr. André Csillaghy (I4DS)

Head Institute of Data Science

info & publications

Manuela Dreier (IPP)

Student

Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Gröbelbauer (IPP)

Maschinenbauingenieur

more information

Matthias Fankhauser (IPP)

Maschinenbauingenieur

more information

Prof. Dr. Säm Krucker (I4DS)

Astrophysicist

more information

OPEN RESOURCES AND RESULTS

Presentation SMILE SXI at Transfer Transparent

Initial Presentation SMILE SXI

Solar activity in ultraviolet wavelength

Initial Presentation SMILE SXI

A solar flare followed by a coronal mass ejection

Initial Presentation SMILE SXI

Image processing techniques are needed for separating the coronal mass ejection from the star field

Coronal mass ejections may create beautiful auroras but also disrupt satellites, radio communication and even electrical power grids.

Initial Presentation SMILE SXI

VISUALS AND AUDIO

SMILE is a joint China – ESA mission to study the impact of the solar wind on the Earth’s magnetosphere. Artist’s conception by ESA/ATG medialab

Auroras (polar lights) are one example of solar wind impacting the Earth. However, charged particles from the sun may affect our planet in many ways. Technology in space, e.g. satellites, is particularly at risk. Image: ESA/NASA

The SMILE spacecraft will carry two imaging instruments – the wide field of view soft X-ray imager (SXI) and an auroral ultraviolet imager (UVI) – and an in situ measurement package that will work in conjunction with the imagers to explore the properties of the solar wind. Image credit: CAS/ESA

The Soft X-ray Imager SXI is one of four instuments onboard the SMILE spacecraft. It is a wide-field lobster-eye telescope with two X-ray-sensitive CCD detectors observing emissions from charged particles hitting the Earth’s magnetospheric boundaries. The FHNW astro-helio group will build the radiator for cooling the X-ray detectors and develop the imaging software. The four CAD-images above show the SXI instrument and the radiator. Image credit: U. Leicester, UK

Official video of the ESA-Chinese Academy of Sciences SMILE mission presented by NSSC. View video on YouTube