SOLARNET- High-Resolution Solar Physics Network


This project aims at integrating the major European infrastructures in the field of high-resolution solar physics, in order to promote their coordinated use and development. This network involves all pertinent European research institutions, infrastructures, and data repositories. Networking activities, access to first-class infrastructures and joint research and development activities are being carried out in SOLARNET to improve, in quantity and quality, the service provided by this European community.

INAF Trieste Astronomical Observatory is involved in the following workpackages:

Data archives and Solar Virtual Observatory: The object of this task is to establish the rules for an adequate dissemination of data to the community, as expressed by the following actions:

  • to define, from a user point of view, the needs for optimum data retrieval from a virtual observatory to enable efficient scientific exploration of high resolution solar observations;
  • to define a data model, building on existing models in the field, to describe high-resolution spectral data cubes; identify the metadata needed in order to determine whether a dataset is relevant to a specific scientific investigation – both quantitative (type of observation, wavelengths, bandwidths, exposure time, cadence, S/N ratio, time & location, seeing, other quality measures) and qualitative (target selection criteria, special conditions during observations, etc) including any special precautions and disclaimers related to uses that are not supported by the data set;
  • to define a subset of the available metadata that should be available to form search criteria in a virtual observatory/archive (in particular, to what extent should facility/instrument-specific information be included?);
  • to collaborate with existing solar virtual observatories in the definition work to enable pilot archives to serve data;
  • to make synoptic solar dababases compliant with Virtual Observatory requirements.

SOLAR VIRTUAL OBSERVATORY (UiO lead, UCL-MSSL, ROB, INAF)

The objective of this sWP is to implement a SVO archive prototype. This sWP includes the following tasks:

  • Set up a prototype archive using real data from a subset of telescopes.
  • Interface the prototype archive with the (US) Virtual Solar Observatory access point currently being set up at the Royal Observatory of Belgium.

Directly connected to a SOLARNET prototype archive setup, a new task aimed to set up an Interferometric BIdimensional Spectropolarimeter (IBIS http://www.arcetri.astro.it/science/solar/ibis/) prototype archive, using public data subset, has been started within the Italian community (INAF OAR, OATo, OACt, OATs).

Staff OATs: A. Marassi, P. Di Marcantonio

Large-diameter Etalon Development (CNR-INO lead, UToV, INAF, AIP)
This sWP consists in the optimization of the plate design and the mechanical mount for the production of large diameter FPIs with diameter from 100 to 300mm for operation in different gravity orientations. The main goal is to build a 150mm FPI engineering prototype to be tested by interferometer to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed design. Initial studies for mechanical mounts have been done by the institutes involved in this analysis, limited to Ø150mm FPIs operating in vertical position. This sWP plans to extend the analysis up to Ø300mm for operation in horizontal orientation. Such analysis of FPI designs is a fundamental step in developing future instruments for large solar telescopes such as EST, although the results will also be of undoubted interest for presently operating telescopes.

Staff OATs: P. Di Marcantonio, I. Coretti, R. Cirami