P52

Presentation Title: Spectral Soft X-ray Measurement Improvements of the three Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS-1, -2, -3) CubeSats and New Instrumentation to Open New Parameter Space
Author(s): Christopher S. Moore Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Amir Caspi Southwest Research Institute Phil Chamberlin Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics Brendan D'Aquino Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Anant Kumar University of Alberta James Mason Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Bennet Schwab Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics Robert Sewell Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics Crisel Suarez Vanderbilt University Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Tom Woods Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

Abstract:

The three Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS-1, -2, -3) CubeSats measured the absolute radiometric energy distribution of solar soft X-ray emission from 0.5 – 20 keV at moderate (0.15 keV at 5.9 keV) energy resolution. The intermittent MinXSS solar flare, active region and quiet Sun measurements spanning 2015 – present have provided improved constraints on low-FIP elemental abundance plus temperature distribution over previous full-Sun soft X-ray spectrometers. This talk will discuss the quality of those observations and the improvement over the three versions of MinXSS due to instrument design/capability changes. Even with these improvements, there are limitations to the plasma temperature, abundance, and dynamics inferred from spatially integrated soft X-ray spectra. Thus, is a fundamental limitation due to the instrument type and measurement method. This talk will highlight how new detectors and imaging optics can open a new parameter space in overcoming these limitations with spatial soft X-ray observations. This talk will also discuss he efforts by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian and collaborators to bring make these measurements a reality soon.