(U) Improved Solar Observing Optical Network (ISOON)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) The Improved Solar Observing Optical Network (ISOON) is one of three upgrades underway to the Solar Electro-Optical Network (SEON).  The other two upgrades include the Solar Radio Burst Locator (SRBL) and an enhanced Swept Frequency Interferometric Radiometer (SFIR), which when combined will replace the Radio Solar Telescope Network.  ISOON is designed to replace the four current Solar Observing Optical Network (SOON) telescopes, which were designed in the 1970s.  ISOON would consist of a fully tunable narrow-band filter and CCD (charge coupled device) detector. ISOON would feature autonomous, rapid-cadence solar imaging and remote operation at four sites, and would transmit solar images in near real time to central facilities at Schriever AFB and Boulder CO, for use in space weather forecasting.  ISOON will have the potential for retrofit with a Vector Magnetograph (VMG) which will provide transverse solar magnetic fields.  Studies have shown that knowledge of these fields are good predictors of potential large solar flares.

Description: (U)
(U) The ISOON technical approach is to retain the front end of the existing SOON telescope, but replace the optical bench, birefringent filter, and spectrograph with a dual Fabry-Perot filter system and secondary optics contained in a single pod. ISOON data products will include full-disk H-alpha, continuum, and line-of-sight magnetograms on 1-arcsecond pixels. High- resolution images (limited field, 0.3-arcsecond pixels) would be available via a future upgrade in the secondary optics. ISOON will also be capable of acquiring vector magnetic field images via a software upgrade to be added at a future time.

(U) ISOON will be located at the four existing SOON cites: Holloman, New Mexico, USA; Learmonth, Australia; San Vito, Italy; and Ramey, Puerto Rico, USA.

User Impact: (U)
(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Programmable.
	(U) IOC: 10/2000 (1QFY2001).
	(U) FOC: 10/2001 (1QFY2002).

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) SFIR, SRBL

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Ground-Based Sensors

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
21 November 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)