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Metis is a multi-wavelength coronagraph onboard the European Space Agency (ESA) Solar Orbiter mission. The instrument features an innovative instrument design conceived for simultaneously imaging the Sun's corona in the visible and ultraviolet range. The Metis visible channel employs broad-band, polarized imaging of the visible K-corona, while the UV one uses narrow-band imaging at the HI Ly 􀄮, i.e. 121.6 nm. During the commissioning different acquisitions and activities, performed with both the Metis channels, have been carried out with the aim to check the functioning and the performance of the instrument. In particular, specific observations of stars have been devised to assess the optical alignment of the telescope and to derive the instrument optical parameters such as focal length, PSF and possibly check the optical distortion and the vignetting function. In this paper, the preliminary results obtained for the PSF of both channels and the determination of the scale for the visible channel will be described and discussed. The in-flight obtained data will be compared to those obtained on-ground during the calibration campaign.

Context. The Metis coronagraph on board Solar Orbiter offers a new view of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), observing them for the first time with simultaneous images acquired with a broad-band filter in the visible-light interval and with a narrow-band filter around the H I Ly-alpha line at 121.567 nm, the so-called Metis UV channel. Aims. We show the first Metis observations of a CME, obtained on 16 and 17 January 2021. The event was also observed by the EUI/FSI imager on board Solar Orbiter, as well as by other space-based coronagraphs, such as STEREO-A/COR2 and SOHO/LASCO/C2, whose images are combined here with Metis data. Methods. Different images are analysed here to reconstruct the 3D orientation of the expanding CME flux rope using the graduated cylindrical shell model. This also allows us to identify the possible location of the source region. Measurements of the CME kinematics allow us to quantify the expected Doppler dimming in the Ly-alpha channel. Results. Observations show that most CME features seen in the visible-light images are also seen in the Ly-alpha images, although some features in the latter channel appear more structured than their visible-light counterparts. We estimated the expansion velocity of this event to be below 140 km s(-1). Hence, these observations can be understood by assuming that Doppler dimming effects do not strongly reduce the Ly-alpha emission from the CME. These velocities are comparable with or smaller than the radial velocities inferred from the same data in a similar coronal structure on the east side of the Sun. Conclusions. The first observations by Metis of a CME demonstrate the capability of the instrument to provide valuable and novel information on the structure and dynamics of these coronal events. Considering also its diagnostics capabilities regarding the conditions of the ambient corona, Metis promises to significantly advance our knowledge of such phenomena.

In this work, we present an investigation of the wind in the solar corona that has been initiated by observations of the resonantly scattered ultraviolet emission of the coronal plasma obtained with UVCS-SOHO, designed to measure the wind outflow speed by applying Doppler dimming diagnostics. Metis on Solar Orbiter complements the UVCS spectroscopic observations that were performed during solar activity cycle 23 by simultaneously imaging the polarized visible light and the H I Lyman-alpha corona in order to obtain high spatial and temporal resolution maps of the outward velocity of the continuously expanding solar atmosphere. The Metis observations, taken on May 15, 2020, provide the first H I Lyman-alpha images of the extended corona and the first instantaneous map of the speed of the coronal plasma outflows during the minimum of solar activity and allow us to identify the layer where the slow wind flow is observed. The polarized visible light (580-640 nm) and the ultraviolet H I Ly alpha (121.6 nm) coronal emissions, obtained with the two Metis channels, were combined in order to measure the dimming of the UV emission relative to a static corona. This effect is caused by the outward motion of the coronal plasma along the direction of incidence of the chromospheric photons on the coronal neutral hydrogen. The plasma outflow velocity was then derived as a function of the measured Doppler dimming. The static corona UV emission was simulated on the basis of the plasma electron density inferred from the polarized visible light. This study leads to the identification, in the velocity maps of the solar corona, of the high-density layer about +/- 10 degrees wide, centered on the extension of a quiet equatorial streamer present at the east limb - the coronal origin of the heliospheric current sheet - where the slowest wind flows at about 160 +/- 18 km s(-1) from 4 R-circle dot to 6 R-circle dot. Beyond the boundaries of the high-density layer, the wind velocity rapidly increases, marking the transition between slow and fast wind in the corona.

The ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission will provide simultaneous measurements from two spacecraft, offering an unprecedented opportunity to investigate magnetospheric and exospheric dynamics at Mercury as well as their interactions with the solar wind, radiation, and interplanetary dust. Many scientific instruments onboard the two spacecraft will be completely, or partially devoted to study the near-space environment of Mercury as well as the complex processes that govern it. Many issues remain unsolved even after the MESSENGER mission that ended in 2015. The specific orbits of the two spacecraft, MPO and Mio, and the comprehensive scientific payload allow a wider range of scientific questions to be addressed than those that could be achieved by the individual instruments acting alone, or by previous missions. These joint observations are of key importance because many phenomena in Mercury's environment are highly temporally and spatially variable. Examples of possible coordinated observations are described in this article, analysing the required geometrical conditions, pointing, resolutions and operation timing of different BepiColombo instruments sensors.

We present the design of the first prototype of MIRA (MIcro-channel plate Readout ASIC) that has been designed to read out Micro-Channel Plates (MCP), in particular for UV spectroscopy. MIRA will be able to detect the cloud of electrons generated by each photon interacting with the MCP, sustaining high local and global count rates to fully exploit the MCP intrinsic dynamic range with low dead time. The main rationale that guided the electronics design is the reduction of the input Equivalent Noise Charge (ENC) in order to allow operations with lower MCP gain, thus improving its lifetime, crucial aspect for long missions in space. MIRA features two selectable analog processing times, 133 ns or 280 ns (i.e. fast mode or slow mode), granting a count rate per pixel of 100 kcps. Moreover, it shows an Equivalent Noise Charge ENC = 17 e r m s − . A spatial resolution of 35 μm and an operation with zero dead time, due to the readout, are targeted. The low noise, high count rate and high spatial resolution requirements are expected by keeping a compact pixel size (35 μm × 35 μm) for a total of 32 × 32 pixels in a 2 mm × 2 mm ASIC area. In this work, the ASIC design is described.

The Multi Element Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy (METIS) is a coronagraph onboard of Solar Orbiter. It will perform simultaneous observations at HeII Lyman-α line, HI Lyman-α line and in visible. To achieve such capability, instrument mirrors need to be coated by multilayer (ML) structures with high efficiency at all three spectral ranges. Coatings with higher performances with respect standard Mo/Si are desirable. An instrument prototype of METIS has just flown onboard of a NASA sounding rocket: in this case, optics were coated with Mg/SiC MLs. Better performances have been obtained in terms of reflectivity, but long term stability of this coating is an open problem. Moreover the harsh conditions of the environment met during the Solar Orbiter mission given by plasma particles and high temperature could affect the lifetime of the optical components on the long term. We present the design and reflectivity tests of multilayer structures in which performances improvement is obtained by the use of novel capping layers. All multilayers are tuned at 30.4nm line but the design also maximize the performances at 121.6nm and 500 – 650 nm visible range. Analysis of Solar Orbiter environment have been carried on in order to point out the main damaging sources for the nanostructures. Computer simulations with a devoted software have been performed to preliminary evaluation of the possible instabilities in multilayers. Experimental tests for investigating the effects of the thermal heating and particles bombardments in the reflectivity performances have been planned.

In recent years, the study of space agent effects on optical coatings has become priority in view of future selected missions which will explore increasingly hostile environments. The impact on the morphology, on the structure and on the performance of coatings and materials due to ion and electron irradiation has been studied through various investigative techniques [1,2]. The irradiation sessions have been carried out at accelerators adopting different experimental regimes to reproduce space conditions in laboratory. A predictive model of the optical performance based on of the damage induced by protons and alpha particles has been developed [3]. Changes in the reflectance and transmittance properties have been attributed to density and refraction index variations due to implantation of low energetic particles. Bubble formation has been observed in metals, while delamination occurs when particles accumulated at interfaces, such as those in metal-protected thin films. Blistering of top layers has been observed in oxide-protected metal coatings (Fig.1). Impact on the performance of the coatings in various spectral ranges including extreme ultraviolet is discussed. [1] Pelizzo, M.; Corso, A.J.; Zuppella, P.; Windt, D.L.; Mattei, G.; Nicolosi P., Stability of extreme ultraviolet multilayer coatings to low energy proton bombardment. Opt. Express 2011, 19, 14838-14844. [2] Zuccon, S.; Napolitani, E.; Tessarolo, E.; Zuppella, P.; Corso, A.J.; Gerlin, F.; Nardello, M.; Pelizzo, M.G. Effects of helium ion bombardment on metallic gold and iridium thin films. Opt. Mat. Express 2015, 5(1), 176–187. [3] M.G. Pelizzo, A.J. Corso1, E. Tessarolo, R. Böttger, R. Hübner, E. Napolitani, M. Bazzan, M. Rancan, L. Armelao, W. Jark, D. Eichert, A. Martucci, Morphological and functional modifications of optical thin films for space applications irradiated with low-energy helium ions, paper in preparation, 2018.