CHAIN-project and installation of the flare monitoring telescopes in developing countries

Satoru UeNo1 * , Kazunari Shibata2, Goichi Kimura1,Yoshikazu Nakatani1 , Reizaburo Kitai1 and Shinichi Nagata1
1Hida Observatory, Kyoto University, Kurabashira, Kamitakara, Takayama city, GIFU 506-1314, Japan
2 Kwasan Observatory, Kyoto University, Ohmine-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8471, Japan

Abstract. The Flare Monitoring Telescope (FMT) was constructed in 1992 at the Hida Observatory in Japan to investigate the long-term variation of solar activity and explosive events, as a pro ject of the international coordinated observations programme (STEP). The FMT consists of five solar imaging telescopes and one guide telescope. The five telescopes simultaneously observe the full-disk Sun at different wavelengths around H-alpha absorption line or in different modes. Therefore, the FMT can measure the three-dimensional velocity field of moving structures on the full solar disk without the atmospheric seeing effect. The science target of the FMT is to monitor solar flares and erupting filaments continuously all over the solar disk and as many events as possible and to investigate the relationship between such phenomena and space weather. Now we are planning to start a new worldwide pro ject called as "Continuous H-alpha Imaging Network (CHAIN)-pro ject". As part of this pro ject, we are examining the possibility of installing telescopes similar to the FMT in developing countries with cooperative help by the United Nations. We have selected Peru as the candidate country where the first oversea FMT will be installed, and are beginning to study the natural environment, the seeing conditions, the proper design of the telescope for Peru and the training and education programme of operating staff, etc.

Keywords: Sun : flares, shockwaves, filaments, prominences, coronal mass ejections, solar-terestrial relations

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