Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) on Board Aditya-L1

Abstract

Aditya-L1, India’s first dedicated mission to study the Sun and its atmosphere from the Sun-Earth Lagrangian L1 location was successfully launched on September 2, 2023. It carries seven payloads. The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) is a major payload on Aditya-L1. VELC is designed to carry out imaging and spectroscopic observations (the latter in three emission lines of the corona), simultaneously. Images of the solar corona in the continuum at 5000 Å, with a field of view (FoV) from 1.05 \(\mathrm{R}_{\odot }\) to 3 \(\mathrm{R}_{\odot }\) can be obtained at variable intervals depending on the data volume that can be downloaded. Spectroscopic observations of the solar corona in three emission lines, namely 5303 Å Fexiv, 7892 Å Fexi, and 10,747 Å Fexiii are possible simultaneously, with different exposure times and cadence. Four slits, each of width 50 \({ \mu }\)m, separated by 3.75 mm help to simultaneously obtain spectra at four positions in the solar corona in all the aforementioned lines. A Linear Scan Mechanism (LSM) makes it possible to scan the solar corona up to ± 1.5 \(\mathrm{R}_{\odot }\). The instrument has the facility to carry out spectropolarimetric observations at 10,747 Å also in the FoV range 1.05 – 1.5 \(\mathrm{R}_{\odot }\). Various components of the instrument were tested interferometrically on the optical bench before installation. The individual components were aligned and performance of the payload was checked in the laboratory using a laser source and tungsten lamp. Wavelength calibration of the instrument was verified using the Sun as a light source. All the detectors were calibrated for different parameters such as dark current and its variation with exposure time. Here, we discuss the various features of the VELC, alignment, calibration, performance, possible observations, initial data analysis, and results of initial tests conducted in-orbit.