SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 25 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Representatives of nine institutions from seven European countries, including the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), have signed this morning in Santa Cruz de Tenerife the deeds of the European Solar Telescope Canary Foundation.
The agreement gives legal status to the project consortium and paves the way for the construction of the European Solar Telescope (EST) at the El Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, located on the Canary Island of La Palma.
The institutions responsible for the creation of the entity that will guide the project towards the construction phase belong to: Germany, Slovakia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Spain is present at EST through the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), which coordinates the project globally, and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía of the CSIC (IAA).
The design of the telescope and part of its instrumentation, the coordination of the international consortium or the creation of the EST communication office are some of the contributions that these institutions have made to the project since its inception in 2008. Both have been part of its scientific advisory committee since then.
The preliminary design phase of the telescope, partially financed by the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission and the Government of the Canary Islands, has recently concluded. Now the creation of the EST Foundation marks a crucial milestone in moving the project towards the construction phase.
One of its main objectives is to create the European EST Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), which will bring together the national ministries of partner countries. The ERIC EST will be the legal entity in charge of supervising all aspects of the construction and exploitation of this great scientific infrastructure.
The adhesion of the IAA-CSIC and IAC to the EST Foundation gives the two institutions power of decision on the future scientific, technological and industrial aspects of the project.
AN UNPRECEDENTED TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGE
EST will become the largest solar telescope ever built in Europe. With a 4.2-meter primary mirror, its state-of-the-art technology and the specialized instruments that comprise it, EST will provide astronomers with an unrivaled tool for observing the Sun. This telescope will be built at the El Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, located on the island of La Palma, recognized worldwide as one of the best places for astronomical observation.
The European Solar Telescope was included in the 2016 roadmap of the European Strategic Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), which recognizes it as a strategic scientific infrastructure for Europe. One of its main goals is to improve our understanding of the Sun by observing its magnetic fields in unprecedented detail.
EST will uncover signals currently hidden in the noise and reveal the existence of hitherto unknown tiny magnetic structures. By studying the magnetic and dynamic coupling of the solar atmosphere, the telescope will provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These phenomena determine the so-called space weather, which has a strong influence on our highly technological society.
Both the optical configuration and the instrumentation of EST are meticulously designed to capture the interactions between the different atmospheric layers of the Sun. Its instruments will allow simultaneous observations at multiple wavelengths. This unique capability gives it greater efficiency compared to existing or future telescopes, whether on the ground or in space.
The construction of the largest solar telescope in Europe represents a technological challenge that, once completed, will position Europe as a leading benchmark in solar physics research and the development of scientific instrumentation.
