10 Years of SOHO
Publication date: 16 May 2006
Authors: Fleck, B. et al.
Journal: ESA Bulletin
Volume: 126
Page: 24-32
Year: 2006
Copyright: ESA
Since its launch on 2 December 1995, SOHO has revolutionised our understanding of the Sun. It has provided the first images of structures and flows below the Sun's surface and of activity on the far side. SOHO has revealed the Sun's extremely dynamic atmosphere, provided evidence for the transfer of magnetic energy from the surface to the outer solar atmosphere, the corona, through a 'magnetic carpet', and identified the source regions of the fast solar wind. It has revolutionised our understanding of solarterrestrial relations and dramatically improved our space weather-forecasting by its continuous stream of images covering the atmosphere, extended corona and far side. The findings are documented in an impressive number of scientific publications: over 2500 papers in refereed journals since launch, representing the work of over 2300 individual scientists. At the same time, SOHO's easily accessible, spectacular data and fundamental scientific results have captured the imagination of the space science community and the general public alike. As a byproduct of the efforts to provide real-time data to the public, amateurs now dominate SOHO's discovery of over 1100 Sungrazing comets.
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