The TRACE satellite is used to study the magnetic fields and the plasma structures in the solar atmosphere. It does this by looking at:
  • the 3-dimensional stucture of the magnetic field and how it changes over time.
  • the plasma flow in the photosphere.
  • how the temperature of the plasma in the corona and photosphere behaves.

TRACE was intended to work with SoHO, however the amount of joint observations programs with the two satellites has been limited due to SoHO malfunctioning (see the section on the loss of SOHO by Jack Ireland). TRACE has continued to provide a wealth of observations in SoHOs absence.


The launch of TRACE

 TRACE was launched on 2nd April 1998
 TRACE was launched from Vandenberg
Air Force Base in USA
 TRACE was launched on a Pegasus
Rocket
 TRACE is in an Earth orbit that takes
it over the north and south poles, so it
can always see the sun. It orbits at a
height of about 600km

Find out how TRACE images the Sun
Go back to Solar Explorers page