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Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

New SOLSTICE Data Product

October 6, 2016

By Marty Snow – LASP, University of Colorado

We are releasing a new data product for SOLSTICE. Instead of binning the daily spectrum to 1-nm intervals, users can now download the full-resolution spectrum for each day. The individual spectral scans are combined and a mean spectrum for the day is fit with a spline. The instrument has a spectral resolution of 0.1-nm, and each scan takes samples every 0.03-nm, i.e. three samples per slit width. Doppler shifts due to spacecraft motion slightly offset these scans, thus improving the statistical sampling. The new data product evaluates the spline fit every 0.03-nm, revealing details of the solar spectrum that had previously been obscured by binning. At the time the SORCE mission was proposed, it was assumed that 1-nm intervals were sufficient for state of the art climate models. Today’s models are more advanced, and may be able to take advantage of the full SOLSTICE resolution. The following figure shows a portion of the solar spectrum including the Magnesium II cores and the spectral variability over one rotation

SOLSTICE__Oct_2016
Example of new high-resolution SOLSTICE spectrum. The red shows the Level 3 1-nm binned data product which had been previously available.
SORCE SOLSTICE High Resolution Spectrum
SORCE SOLSTICE High Resolution Variability

SOLSTICE spectrum high-resolution spectrum near the Mg II cores. The bottom plot shows the variability as a function of wavelength over one solar rotation in August 2014.
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