The National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that the world’s first solar magnetic-field telescope working in the mid-infrared wavelength has recently passed national acceptance and been officially commissioned, China Media Group reported on Friday, noting that the telescope fills the international gap in mid-infrared solar magnetic field observations.
The telescope, known as the Accurate Infrared Magnetic Field Measurements of the Sun (AIMS), is located in the Lenghu township in Northwest China’s Qinghai Province, at an average altitude of about 4,000 meters.
Since its development began in 2015, several key technological breakthroughs have been achieved. The research team, through observations in the 12.3-micron mid-infrared wavelength, has achieved a breakthrough in the direct measurement method of the solar magnetic field, improving the magnetic field measurement accuracy to exceed the 10 Gauss level, addressing a bottleneck issue in the century-long history of solar magnetic-field measurement, according to the report.
The telescope adopts an off-axis optical system design, with infrared spectroscopy and imaging terminals, including core components such as detector chips and vacuum cooling systems, fully achieving domestic production, further enhancing China’s independent innovation capability in astronomical instruments, the report said.
During the commissioning and trial observation period after the AIMS telescope was completed in 2023, researchers achieved routine observations of solar spectra and imaging in the mid-infrared wavelength, obtaining data on multiple solar flares in the wavelength. This provides crucial data support for studying the mechanisms of material and energy transfer during intense solar eruptions and investigating magnetic energy accumulation and release, the report noted.
The AIMS telescope has passed national acceptance, marking its official transition from the construction phase to the scientific output phase. Its observational data will provide crucial support for cutting-edge research in solar physics and space weather forecasting in China, according to the report. GT
