BackForwardInstrument:  METIS 

Instrument details
Acronym METIS
Full name Multi Element Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy
Purpose To simultaneously image the visible, ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet emission of the solar corona and diagnose, with unprecedented temporal coverage and spatial resolution, the structure and dynamics of the full corona in the range from 1.4 to 3.0 (from 1.7 to 4.1) solar radii from Sun centre, at minimum (maximum) perihelion during the nominal mission. This is a region that is crucial in linking the solar atmospheric phenomena to their evolution in the inner heliosphere
Short description Externally occulted coronagraph that employs broad-band, polarized imaging of the visible K-corona in the range 580-640 nm and narrow-band imaging spectrometry in several intervals of EUV between 28.4 and 32.4 nm [inclusive of Fe-XV at 28.4 nm He-II at 30.4 nm]; and the H-Lyman-alpha at 121.6 nm, in a sector of the FOV to study particle velocity distributions along the line-of-sight
Background New development
Scanning Technique Sun pointing from a solar orbit. Corona viewing included
Resolution Changing with the distance from the Sun. Best values: 7500 km at the Sun surface for VIS, 15000 km for EUV
Coverage / Cycle Full solar corona in about 60 s
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency ASI
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2020 to 2030
Last update: 2021-12-16
Detailed characteristics
Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Solar and space environment monitors
  • Solar activity monitor
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 2
  • Solar magnetograph, solar EUV/X-ray imagery and EUV/X-ray irradiance, both on the Earth-Sun line and off the Earth-Sun line
  • Solar EUV spectrometer [from solar orbit, ecliptic, L5]
  • Solar VIS spectrometer [from solar orbit, ecliptic, L5]
  • Solar magnetic field sensor [from solar orbit, ecliptic, L5]
  • Solar electric field sensor [from solar orbit, ecliptic, L5]
  • Solar coronagraph and heliospheric imagery both on the Earth-Sun line and off the Earth-Sun line (e.g. L5 point)
  • Solar coronographic imager [from solar orbit, ecliptic, L5]
  • Subcomponent 3
  • Solar coronal magnetic field imagery, solar wind beyond L1
  • Solar coronal magnetic field imager [from solar orbit, ecliptic, L5]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Solar coronagraphic image
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Solar EUV flux spectrum1 - primaryLimited to the solar corona.High spectral resolution EUV, solar disc occulted
Solar Lyman-alpha flux3 - highLimited to the solar corona.H-Ly-alpha at 121.6 nm (EUV/UV boundary), solar disc occulted
Solar VIS flux2 - very highLimited to the solar corona.Moderate dynamic range, solar disc occulted, polarisation capability
Solar magnetic field4 - fairLimited to the solar corona.Fluxmetry with coarse spatial resolution, polarimetry exploited, solar disc occulted
Solar electric field3 - highLimited to the solar corona.Fluxmetry with coarse spatial resolution, polarimetry exploited, corona view included
Solar coronagraphic image*1 - primaryNo specific limitation.H-Ly-alpha at 121.6 nm (EUV/UV boundary), observed with occultation