SOLMER

The project SolMer analyses extreme space weather at Mercury using primarily the observations from the recent European and Japanese space agencies flagship mission BepiColombo. The mission consists of two spacecraft and carries onboard an X-ray and energetic particle instrument SIXS that has been designed and developed in Finland. We will also use measurements from several other instruments on BepiColombo and from other latest spacecraft to get a comprehensive understanding of the response of Mercury's environment when strong solar eruptions hit the planet. Being the innermost planet of the solar system Mercury is under the influence of particularly strong solar driving. This project will use novel data and techniques to seek answers to major outstanding questions on how the Sun can affect Mercury. Its impact extends to improving practical space weather applications also on Earth.

2024

2028