Advancement of a Lyot Filter Demonstration Instrument (LFDI) for Space-Borne Solar Physics Investigations (LFDI)

Determining the origins of the Sun's activity and predicting the variations in the space environment is a key science goal of the Solar and Space Physics decadal survey. Dynamic conditions in the solar atmosphere can lead to events such as filament eruptions and coronal mass ejections and to understand such events requires observations of dynamic phenomena. Spectroscopic imaging is a powerful tool as these instrument types possess a large field of view for tracking dynamic activity while simultaneously providing diagnostics such as line-of-sight velocities and line widths giving insight into turbulence and wave broadening. When conducted from space, spectroscopic imaging can collect data at a more consistent cadence than from the ground and at a range of wavelengths from 0.4 and 2.2 microns enabling study of the chromosphere, photosphere, or corona. An ideal tool for conducting spectroscopic imaging is a Lyot filter based instrument; the Lyot filter is a wide field of view, tunable optical filter that can have a narrow passband and be tuned across broad spectral lines to sample the line and continuum. Mechanically tunable Lyot filters have been flown before but these filters rely on spinning mechanisms which have major drawbacks. Ground-based instruments instead use Liquid Crystal Variable Retarders to achieve tuning electrically as opposed to mechanically. We propose building a space-rated version of these terrestrial, electro-optically tunable, Lyot filters and supporting electronics, which we are calling the Lyot Filter Demonstration Instrument (LFDI); advancing the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the system will pave the way for a future mission to fly a complete instrument. We propose to develop this filter in a suitable mass and volume for a 6U CubeSat and central wavelength of H-alpha. This is scientifically interesting for a while still remaining a low cost development. Our project will target two areas for development: (i) the opto-mechanical assembly of the Lyot filter (ii) the temperature compensation control electronics. The optical elements of the filter will be bonded to avoid the usage of optical coupling fluid. The bonding method requires development to demonstrate the opto-mechanical assembly survives in the space environment. The control electronics need to be advanced as a space-rated system to replace the lab electronics normally used in terrestrial Lyot filter instruments. The objectives are as follows: 1. Produce a medium fidelity prototype of the opto-mechanical assembly and demonstrate survivability and operation in the relevant thermal vacuum environment 2. Produce a medium fidelity brassboard of the temperature compensation control electronics and demonstrate operation in a relevant thermal vacuum environment 3. Advance the Lyot filter system so that it is ready for proposal as part of a complete, flight instrument The immediate significance of this work is that the Lyot filter design will be ready for an H-alpha CubeSat project which will provide data on filament evolution. Beyond this, the technology is readily scalable (low risk) for instruments requiring other wavelengths, passbands, free spectral ranges, and/or the addition of polarimetric measurements. Furthering the Lyot Filter Design Instrument will enable a variety of missions and science objectives in the heliophysics community.

Support NASA's Heliophysics strategic science objectives to understand the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system, including space weather. This will be achieved by developing/demonstrating instrumentation technology necessary to address the following science goals: Explore the physical processes in the space environment from the Sun to the Earth and throughout the solar system; Advance our understanding of the connections that link the Sun, the Earth, planetary space environments, and the outer reaches of our solar system; Develop the knowledge and capability to detect and predict extreme conditions in space to protect life and society and to safeguard human and robotic explorers beyond Earth.

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