ESA IRIS planning opportunity

Annonce transmise par Bart De Pontieu (LMSAL USA & RoCS Norvège)

The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) is a NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) mission, launched in 2013, that allows tracing the flow of solar energy and plasma from the photosphere through the chromosphere and transition region into the corona using spectroscopy and imaging in ultraviolet windows between 130 and 283 nm.

IRIS can reveal the dynamics of the chromosphere and transition region, and allow understanding the processes powering them. IRIS is a major leap from previous and existing solar spectrographs (e.g., SOHO/CDS or SUMER; Hinode/EIS) in terms of spatial (0.3-0.4 arcsec), temporal (2 s), and spectral (3 km/s) resolution.

ESA solicits proposals for participation in the NASA-led IRIS mission from scientists working in ESA Member States, in the role of Science Planners. IRIS Science Planners have the opportunity to be in the driver's seat and operating this space-based instrument for several weeks, choosing targets and observing programs.

The Announcement of Opportunity (AO) and a Letter of Invitation by the ESA Director of Science can be found at https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/iris-2024

As in previous years, all IRIS science planning and training can be done remotely, so there is no requirement for the successful applicants to carry out these activities in Palo Alto, CA, USA.

The IRIS team is committed to facilitating the timing and requirements of any selected science proposals that are focused on coordinated observations with IRIS and Solar Orbiter.

Proposals shall be submitted electronically in PDF format at the above web site and must be received not later than 3 June 2024, 12:00 (noon) Central European Summer Time (CEST).

https://solarnews.nso.edu/esa-iris-science-planners-10th-esa-announcemen...