Russian-Ukrainian Satellite Koronas-F Report Unique Data about Sun

The Russian-Ukrainian scientific satellite Coronas-F that is studying the processes on the Sun at a distance of 500-550 km from the Earth, has reported unique data about our closest star.

The news was announced by director of the Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences Viktor Orayevsky, who spoke at a briefing in Rosaviakosmos devoted to the satellite's study of solar activity. Its launch and maintenance cost 500 million roubles.

"The satellite helped us to find out that in the solar corona, besides an average temperature of 2 million degrees, there are areas with a temperature of up to 10 million degrees. It is the first time that such information has been acquired," he emphasised. "The scientist also studied the dynamics of these super-high temperatures' pulsation," the academician explained.

For the first time the satellite filmed the sun and its corona in a broad span of electromagnetic waves, from gamma-ray emission to visible light, Orayevsky said. "Thus, it is registering the radiation level in the area of ultra-violet emission. Now we intend to announce this level at the country's largest beaches, as acute solar ultra-violet radiation is harmful for human health," he added.