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The Solar Mass-Ejection Imager (SMEI) Mission

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Abstract

We have launched into near-Earth orbit a solar mass-ejection imager (SMEI) that is capable of measuring sunlight Thomson-scattered from heliospheric electrons from elongations to as close as 18∘ to greater than 90∘ from the Sun. SMEI is designed to observe time-varying heliospheric brightness of objects such as coronal mass ejections, co-rotating structures and shock waves. The instrument evolved from the heliospheric imaging capability demonstrated by the zodiacal light photometers of the Helios spacecraft. A near-Earth imager can provide up to three days warning of the arrival of a mass ejection from the Sun. In combination with other imaging instruments in deep space, or alone by making some simple assumptions about the outward flow of the solar wind, SMEI can provide a three-dimensional reconstruction of the surrounding heliospheric density structures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, U.S.A.

    B. V. Jackson, A. Buffington & P. P. Hick

  2. Air Force Research Laboratory/Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/VS), Hanscom AFB, MA, U.S.A.

    R. C. Altrock, S. Figueroa, P. E. Holladay, J. C. Johnston, S. W. Kahler, J. B. Mozer, S. Price, R. R. Radick, R. Sagalyn & D. Sinclair

  3. School of Physics and Space Research, University of Birmingham, U.K.

    G. M. Simnett, C. J. Eyles, M. P. Cooke & S. J. Tappin

  4. ISR, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, U.S.A.

    T. Kuchar, D. Mizuno & D. F. Webb

  5. Boston University, Boston, MA, U.S.A.

    P. A. Anderson

  6. National Solar Observatory, Sunspot, NM, U.S.A.

    S. L. Keil

  7. Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, U.S.A.

    R. E. Gold

  8. Space Science Department, Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, U.K.

    N. R. Waltham

Authors
  1. B. V. Jackson
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  2. A. Buffington
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  3. P. P. Hick
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  4. R. C. Altrock
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  5. S. Figueroa
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  6. P. E. Holladay
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  7. J. C. Johnston
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  8. S. W. Kahler
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  9. J. B. Mozer
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  10. S. Price
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  11. R. R. Radick
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  12. R. Sagalyn
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  13. D. Sinclair
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  14. G. M. Simnett
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  15. C. J. Eyles
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  16. M. P. Cooke
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  17. S. J. Tappin
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  18. T. Kuchar
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  19. D. Mizuno
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  20. D. F. Webb
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  21. P. A. Anderson
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  22. S. L. Keil
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  23. R. E. Gold
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  24. N. R. Waltham
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Correspondence to B. V. Jackson.

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Jackson, B.V., Buffington, A., Hick, P.P. et al. The Solar Mass-Ejection Imager (SMEI) Mission. Sol Phys 225, 177–207 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-004-2766-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-004-2766-3

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