The science behind SURROUND: a constellation of CubeSats around the Sun

TL;DR

The SURROUND mission proposes a constellation of CubeSats with radio spectrometers to improve space weather forecasting by monitoring solar radio bursts, potentially detecting hazardous solar events earlier than current methods.

Contribution

This paper introduces the SURROUND CubeSat constellation concept and demonstrates its feasibility for enhanced space weather monitoring using existing technology.

Findings

SURROUND can achieve its mission objectives with 3-5 spacecraft.

The constellation has potential for SEP and CME forecasting.

Feasible with current CubeSat technologies.

Abstract

One of the greatest challenge facing current space weather monitoring operations is forecasting the arrival of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) within their Earth-Sun propagation timescales. Current campaigns mainly rely on extreme ultra-violet and white light observations to create forecasts, missing out many potential events that may be hazardous to Earth's infrastructure undetectable at these wavelengths. Here we introduce the SURROUND mission, a constellation of CubeSats each with identical radio spectrometers, and the results of the initial Phase-0 study for the concept. The main goal of SURROUND is to monitor and track solar radio bursts (SRBs), widely utilised as a useful diagnostic for space weather activity, and revolutionise current forecasting capabilities. The Phase-0 study concludes that SURROUND can achieve its mission objectives using 3 - 5 spacecraft using current technologies with feasible SEP and CME forecasting potential: a first for heliospheric monitors.