Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences awarded the University of Hawaii at Manoa a $519,030 Project Grant on April 15, 2026, under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) to conduct collaborative research on coronal processes through three total solar eclipses occurring on August 12, 2026, August 2, 2027, and July 22, 2028. The project will deliver high-resolution imaging and spectroscopic data of the sun's corona to advance understanding of coronal thermodynamics, magnetic field structures, and space weather events at their origins. Key deliverables include enhanced state-of-the-art imaging and spectroscopic instrumentation with improved white light and Fe XIV (iron fourteen) emission line imaging capabilities, upgraded imaging spectrometers with new filters to enhance signal-to-noise ratios and enable precise measurements of ionic temperatures and Doppler shifts, and multi-site observational deployments along the path of totality across all three eclipse events. The project concludes on March 31, 2029.

The research initiative will also provide significant educational and training value through hands-on participation opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in eclipse observations, instrumentation development, and data analysis. The findings are anticipated to have substantial implications for space infrastructure operations and future space exploration missions by characterizing the coronal conditions that generate extreme space weather events impacting satellites, power systems, and communications on Earth.