Aditya-L1 Solar Eruption Study 2026: Asymmetric Expansion of CMEs, Scientific Discovery, Space Weather and India's Solar Mission

PRERNA FOR IAS

Mehnat Aapki, Guidance Humari

Roz ki Prelims Practice — Experts ke Saath

Aditya-L1 Solar Eruption Study 2026: Asymmetric Expansion of CMEs, Scientific Discovery, Space Weather and India's Solar Mission

1. Background and Recent Development

• On 3 November 2026, ISRO announced a significant discovery by scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru.
• Using Aditya-L1 observations, researchers found that a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) on 5 August 2024 expanded asymmetrically rather than uniformly.
• The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

2. Historical Background

• Aditya-L1, India's first space-based solar observatory, was launched on 2 September 2023 aboard PSLV-C57.
• It entered a halo orbit around the Sun–Earth Lagrange Point L1 on 6 January 2024, approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth.
• Its seven scientific payloads study solar activity, particles and magnetic fields.

3. Major Scientific Findings