High-Resolution Coronal Imager 2.1

        Following the success of the first flight, Hi-C was modified to observe in a different wavelength to study the mass and energy coupling between the chromosphere and the corona. For this objective, the wavelength of the passband was changed to 172Å (Fe ix/x) and a new custom-built, low-noise camera was installed. This passband samples plasma at a relatively cool coronal or transition region temperature of ~1 MK. Hi-C 2.1 was designed to study two scientific questions: are there coronal counterparts to type II spicules; and what is the relationship between chromospheric and coronal heating in active region cores? The cooler temperatures and high temporal and spatial resolution allow the data to be combined with co-observations made by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS; De Pontieu et al., 2014) to study this connection between the chromosphere and the corona.

        Hi-C 2.1 was launched at 18:54 UT on May 29, 2018 from White Sands Missile Range. The target of observation was Active Region 12712. The Solar Pointing and Aerobee Control System (SPARCS) maintained a constant target for the duration of the flight. For 335s, Hi-C 2.1 recorded full detector (~ 2k x 2k) images with a 2s exposure at a cadence of 4.4s.