The Birmingham Solar Oscillations Network (BiSON) consists of a network of six remote solar observatories monitoring low-degree solar oscillation modes. It is operated by the High Resolution Optical Spectroscopy group of the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Birmingham, UK, in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University, UK. They are funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). BiSON has been collecting data continuously on solar oscillations since 1976, making it the longest running helioseismology network with data covering three solar cycles.
Team
Academic staff Professor Yvonne Elsworth (Head of project) Professor Bill Chaplin
Research staff Anne-Marie Broomhall — Helioseismology Andrea Miglio Steven Hale
Technical staff Mr Ian Barnes — Electronics Mr Barry Jackson — Mechanics
Remote observatories
BiSON operates automated resonant scattering spectrometers in astronomical domes or mirror fed systems. The network was established in 1976 with two permanent stations; the addition of several more sites culminated with the addition of a sixth in 1992. The current sites are:
Mount Wilson Observatory, California, USA Las Campanas Observatory, Region IV, Chile Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain South African Astronomical Observatory, Sutherland, South Africa OTC Earth Station Carnarvon, Carnarvon, WA, Australia Paul Wild Observatory, Narrabri, NSW, Australia
See also List of astronomical observatories List of astronomical societies
References
External links BiSON homepage BiSON Data Archived 6 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Realtime BiSON Telemetry and Cameras