
The distance achieved by the Parker probe may seem trivial. Still, it is a significant achievement, as Fabio Riva explained: "To grasp the significance of this achievement, let’s compare the sizes of the Sun and the Earth. The Sun is vastly larger than the Earth; its radius is roughly 100 times greater. While a distance of about 6 million kilometres may seem substantial, it actually falls within the Sun’s atmosphere, which is a noteworthy development". The Sun’s atmosphere consists of three main layers: the innermost layer is called the photosphere, followed by the chromosphere, and finally, the outermost layer known as the corona. "For many decades, we have known that as we move away from the Sun’s visible surface and towards the corona, the temperature increases significantly, rising from a few thousand degrees to over a million degrees". This temperature trend is unusual, as it typically decreases the further we move away from a hot body. Consequently, this phenomenon has yet to be thoroughly studied and understood.
The Parker probe will enable previously impossible measurements: "We can directly enter the Sun’s atmosphere to measure its magnetic fields and particles, allowing us to obtain data that are difficult to record with telescopes alone". NASA’s mission will provide valuable data to better understand solar storms, which can hinder our electronic communications: "In 2022, 49 Starlink satellites were put into orbit, 40 of which fell to the ground due to a solar storm that caused the Earth’s atmosphere to increase in volume. As a result, the satellites that were supposed to be outside the Earth’s atmosphere ended up with a higher density of air than expected, which caused them to fall. These were the effects of a small solar storm. Historically, much larger ones have occurred, which can have more serious consequences. Knowing more about the Sun and how it works will allow us to predict solar storms," Fabio Riva concluded.
The complete interview with Fabio Riva on SEIDISERA (Rete Uno - RSI) is available at the following (from minute 8:27, Italian only)