Information about Space Weather
Space weather is the concept of changing environmental conditions in outer space. It is distinct from the concept of weather within a planetary atmosphere, and generally deals with the interactions of ambient radiation and matter within interplanetary, and occasionally interstellar space. "Space weather describes the conditions in space that affect Earth and its technological systems. Our space weather is a consequence of the behavior of the sun, the nature of Earth's magnetic field, and our location in the solar system." [1]
Within our own solar system, space weather is greatly influenced by the speed and density of the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) carried by the solar wind plasma. A variety of physical phenomena are associated with space weather, including geomagnetic storms and substorms, energization of the Van Allen radiation belts, ionospheric disturbances and scintillation, aurora and geomagnetically induced currents at Earth's surface. Coronal Mass Ejections and their associated shock waves are also important drivers of space weather as they can compress the magnetosphere and trigger geomagnetic storms. Solar energetic particles, accelerated by coronal mass ejections or solar flares, are also an important driver of space weather as they can damage electronics onboard spacecraft and threaten the life of astronauts.
Space weather exerts a profound influence in several areas related to space exploration and development. Changing geomagnetic conditions can induce changes in atmospheric density causing the rapid degradation of spacecraft altitude in Low Earth orbit. Geomagnetic storms due to increased solar activity can potentially blind sensors aboard spacecraft, or interfere with on-board electronics. An understanding of space environmental conditions is also important in designing shielding and life support systems for manned spacecraft. There is also some concern that geomagnetic storms may also expose conventional aircraft flying at high latitudes to increased amounts of radiation.
Within our own solar system, space weather is greatly influenced by the speed and density of the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) carried by the solar wind plasma. A variety of physical phenomena are associated with space weather, including geomagnetic storms and substorms, energization of the Van Allen radiation belts, ionospheric disturbances and scintillation, aurora and geomagnetically induced currents at Earth's surface. Coronal Mass Ejections and their associated shock waves are also important drivers of space weather as they can compress the magnetosphere and trigger geomagnetic storms. Solar energetic particles, accelerated by coronal mass ejections or solar flares, are also an important driver of space weather as they can damage electronics onboard spacecraft and threaten the life of astronauts.
Space weather exerts a profound influence in several areas related to space exploration and development. Changing geomagnetic conditions can induce changes in atmospheric density causing the rapid degradation of spacecraft altitude in Low Earth orbit. Geomagnetic storms due to increased solar activity can potentially blind sensors aboard spacecraft, or interfere with on-board electronics. An understanding of space environmental conditions is also important in designing shielding and life support systems for manned spacecraft. There is also some concern that geomagnetic storms may also expose conventional aircraft flying at high latitudes to increased amounts of radiation.
Satellites observing space weather
Since 1995, the joint NASA-European Space Agency Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft is the main source of near-real time solar data for space weather prediction. It was joined in 1998 by the NASA Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), which carries a space weather beacon for continuous transmission of relevant in situ space environment data. SOHO and ACE are located near the L1 Lagrangian point, 1% of the earth-sun distance upstream of the earth where it measures solar wind plasma and magnetic field approximately one hour before it reaches the earth. Most recently, the launch of the NASA-ESA Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) added an additional space weather data stream that covers the region between the sun and the earth with stereoscopic imagery. The two STEREO spacecraft drift away from the earth by about 22deg per year, one leading and the other trailing the earth in its orbit.Modeling Efforts
Major modelling efforts to simulate the space environment from the Sun to the Earth and beyond using three-dimensional global Magnetohydrodynamics frameworks have been undertaken since the 1990s. In the United States, the two major centers are the Center for Space Environment Modeling (CSEM) and the Center for Integrated Space weather Modeling (CISM).Examples of space weather events
- The best-known example of space weather events is the collapse of the HydroQuebec power network on March 13, 1989 due to geomagnetically induced currents. This was started by a transformer failure, which led to a general blackout, which lasted more than 9 hours and affected 6 million people. The geomagnetic storm causing this event was itself the result of a Coronal Mass Ejection, ejected from the Sun on March 9, 1989.[2]
- A Coronal Mass Ejection on January 7, 1997 hit the Earth's magnetosphere on January 10 and caused the loss of the AT&T Telstar 401 communication satellite (a $200 million value).[3]
- Transpolar routes flown by airplanes are particularly sensitive to space weather, in part because of Federal Aviation Regulations requiring reliable communication over the entire flight. It is estimated to cost about $100,000 each time such a flight is diverted from a polar route. Nine airlines are currently operating polar routes. [4]
- No large Solar Energetic Particles event happened during a manned mission. However, such a large event happened on August 7, 1972, between Apollo 16 and Apollo 17. The dose of particles which would have hit an astronaut, had this event happened during one of these missions, would have been deadly or at least life-threatening.[5] Nozomi Mars Probe was hit by a large Solar Energetic Particles event on April 21, 2002, which caused large-scale failure. The mission, which was already about 3 years behind schedule, was eventually abandoned in December 2003.[6]
Space weather at the Earth’s surface
The best known ground-level consequence of space weather is geomagnetically induced currents, or GIC. These are damaging electrical currents that can flow in power grids, pipelines and other conducting networks. Rapid magnetic changes on the ground - that occur during geomagnetic storms and are associated with space weather - can also be important for activities such as geophysical mapping and hydrocarbon production.Geophysical Exploration
Air and ship borne magnetic surveys can be affected by rapid magnetic field variations during geomagnetic storms. Storms can cause data interpretation problems where the magnetic field changes due to space weather are of similar magnitude to those of the sub-surface crustal magnetic field in the survey area. Accurate geomagnetic storm warnings, including an assessment of the magnitude and duration of the storm, allows for an economic use of survey equipment.Geophysics and Hydrocarbon Production
For economic and other reasons, oil and gas production often involves the directional drilling of well paths many kilometres from a single wellhead in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The accuracy requirements are strict, due to target size – reservoirs may only be a few tens to hundreds of metres across – and for safety reasons, because of the proximity of other boreholes. Surveying by the most accurate gyroscopic method is expensive, since it can involve the cessation of drilling for a number of hours. An alternative is to use a magnetic survey, which enables measurement while drilling (MWD). Near real time magnetic data can be used to correct the drilling direction and nearby magnetic observatories prove vital (Clark and Clarke, 2001; Reay et al, 2006). Magnetic data and storm forecasts can also be helpful in clarifying unknown sources of drilling error on an on-going basis.Further Reading
- Clark, T. D. G. and E. Clarke, 2001. Space weather services for the offshore drilling industry. In Space Weather Workshop: Looking Towards a Future European Space Weather Programme. ESTEC, ESA WPP-194.
- Reay, S. J., W. Allen, O. Baillie, J. Bowe, E. Clarke, V. Lesur, S. Macmillan, 2005. Space weather mom on drilling accuracy in the North Sea. Annales Geophysicae, Vol. 23, pp 3081-3088.
- Odenwald, S. 2006, "The 23rd Cycle;Learning to live with a stormy star", Columbia University Press, (http://www.astronomycafe.net/weather.html)
Links
- British Geological Survey's Geomagnetism Applications and Services site
- Finnish Meteorological Institute's ground effects site
- Australian Space Weather Agency's site about effects on aeromagnetic surveys
See also
- Atmospheric physics
- Plasma physics
- Space exploration
- Sudden ionospheric disturbance
- Coronal Mass Ejection
- Geomagnetic storm
Notes
1. ^ Space Weather: A Research Perspective, National Academy of Science, 1997
2. ^ Geomagnetic Storms Can Threaten Electric Power Grid Earth in Space, Vol. 9, No. 7, March 1997, pp.9-11 (American Geophysical Union)
3. ^ Space Weather and Satellite loss
4. ^ United polar flights Mike Stills
5. ^ 1972 Apollo Mission and SEP events (NASA)
6. ^ Nozomi Mars Probe hit by a large SEP event
2. ^ Geomagnetic Storms Can Threaten Electric Power Grid Earth in Space, Vol. 9, No. 7, March 1997, pp.9-11 (American Geophysical Union)
3. ^ Space Weather and Satellite loss
4. ^ United polar flights Mike Stills
5. ^ 1972 Apollo Mission and SEP events (NASA)
6. ^ Nozomi Mars Probe hit by a large SEP event
Bibliography
- Rainer Schwenn, Space Weather, Living Reviews in Solar Physics 3, (2006), 2, online article.
External links
- NOAA-SEC Space Weather Now - (U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA])
- NSWP Strategic Plan - (NOAA)
- NSWP Implementation Plan - (NOAA)
- USGS Geomagnetism Program - (United States Geological Survey)
- Lund Space Weather Center - (Swedish Institute of Space Physics)
- The Human Impacts of Space Weather - A complete guide to all known impacts of space weather to technology, human health, and an extensive newspaper archive of reported impacts since 1840
- Spaceweather.com - Space Weather news, forecasts and pictures
- Storms from the Sun - popular science writing about the Sun and space weather effects
- Space Weather and Radio Propagation Live and historical data and images with a perspective on how it affects radio propagation.
- Space Weather forums at HFradio.org
- Solar Terrestrial Dispatch
- Active Region Monitor Live and archived solar region images and data.
- The Australian Space Weather Agency
- Latest Solar Events (Large bandwidth)
- Space Weather Canada
- Official Keepers of the Sunspot Record Royal Observatory of Belgium / SIDC.
- Official SOHO Web site Solar and Heliospheric Observatory] Solar and space weather images and data.
- Solar Region Maps
- Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment (LASCO) LASCO solar images and information.
- European Space Weather Portal
- Space Weather Center - Education site with information and interactives.
- HF Radio Propagation Software for Firefox - Propfire Firefox plug for monitoring radio propagation, website utility to display HF radio propagation status and article on understanding HF radio propagation forecasting
- ESA Space Weather Site
- British Geological Survey's Space Weather site
- Lund (Sweden) Space Weather Center
- International Space Environment Service
- US National Space Environment Center
Outer space, sometimes simply called space, refers to the relatively empty regions of the universe outside the atmospheres of celestial bodies. Outer space is used to distinguish it from airspace (and terrestrial locations).
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weather is the set of all extant phenomena in a given atmosphere at a given time. The term usually refers to the activity of these phenomena over short periods (hours or days), as opposed to the term climate, which refers to the average atmospheric conditions over longer periods of
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atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass.[1] The gases are attracted by the gravity of the body, and are retained for a longer duration if gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low.
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Radiation as used in physics, is energy in the form of waves or moving subatomic particles. Radiation can be classified as ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, depending on its effect on atomic matter.
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matter is commonly defined as the substance of which physical objects are composed, not counting the contribution of various energy or force-fields, which are not usually considered to be matter per se (though they may contribute to the mass of objects).
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Interplanetary space is that part of outer space between planets in a solar system and its local star(s), many of which are binaries. Around any one planet, "interplanetary" space begins in the broad region where any atmosphere, magnetic field and moons end, ceding dominance to the
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Interstellar space may mean:
Interstellar Space
Studio album by John Coltrane
Genre Jazz
Length 54:06
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- Interstellar medium, in astronomy
- Interstellar Space, a 1967 album by John Coltrane
Interstellar Space
Studio album by John Coltrane
Genre Jazz
Length 54:06
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Solar System or solar system[a] consists of the Sun and the other celestial objects gravitationally bound to it: the eight planets, their 166 known moons,[1]
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solar wind is a stream of charged particles (i.e., a plasma) which are ejected from the upper atmosphere of the sun. It consists mostly of high-energy electrons and protons (about 1 keV) that are able to escape the sun's gravity in part because of the high temperature of the corona
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The Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) is the term for the Sun’s magnetic field carried by the solar wind among the planets of the Solar System.
Since the solar wind is a plasma, it has the characteristics of a plasma, rather than a simple gas.
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Since the solar wind is a plasma, it has the characteristics of a plasma, rather than a simple gas.
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plasma is typically an ionized gas. Plasma is considered to be a distinct state of matter, apart from gases, because of its unique properties. "Ionized" refers to presence of one or more free electrons, which are not bound to an atom or molecule.
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geomagnetic storm is a temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere caused by a disturbance in space weather. Associated with solar coronal mass ejections (CME), coronal holes, or solar flares, a geomagnetic storm is caused by a solar wind shock wave which typically strikes
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The Van Allen Radiation Belt is a torus of energetic charged particles (plasma) around Earth, held in place by Earth's magnetic field. The Van Allen belts are closely related to the polar aurora where particles strike the upper atmosphere and fluoresce.
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Auroras (or aurorae) [sing: aurora] are natural colored light displays, which are usually observed in the night sky, particularly in the polar zone. Some scientists therefore call them "polar auroras" (or "aurorae polaris").
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coronal mass ejection (CME) is an ejection of material from the solar corona, usually observed with a white-light coronagraph.
The ejected material is a plasma consisting primarily of electrons and protons (in addition to small quantities of heavier elements such as helium,
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The ejected material is a plasma consisting primarily of electrons and protons (in addition to small quantities of heavier elements such as helium,
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shock wave (or simply "shock") is a type of propagating disturbance. Like an ordinary wave, a shock wave carries energy and can propagate through a medium (solid, liquid or gas), or, in special cases, through a field such as the electromagnetic field in the absence of a
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A magnetosphere is the region around an astronomical object in which phenomena are dominated or organized by its magnetic field. Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere, as are the magnetized planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
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A magnetosphere is the region around an astronomical object in which phenomena are dominated or organized by its magnetic field. Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere, as are the magnetized planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
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Solar Energetic Particles are high-energy particles coming from the Sun which had been first observed in the early 1940s. They consist of protons, electrons and heavy ions with energy ranging from a few tens of keV to GeV (the fastest particles can reach speed up to 80% of the
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solar flare is a violent explosion in the Sun's atmosphere releasing up to a total energy of 6.298 × 1025 Joules.[1] Solar flares take place in the solar corona and chromosphere, heating plasma to tens of millions of kelvins and accelerating electrons,
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Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km. Given the rapid orbital decay of objects below approximately 200 km, the commonly accepted definition for LEO is between 200 - 2000 km
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA logo
Motto: For the Benefit of All[1]
NASA seal
Agency overview
Formed 29 July 1958
Headquarters Washington D.C.
Annual Budget $16.
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NASA logo
Motto: For the Benefit of All[1]
NASA seal
Agency overview
Formed 29 July 1958
Headquarters Washington D.C.
Annual Budget $16.
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European Space Agency (ESA), established in 1974, is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 17 member states. Its headquarters are in Paris.
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Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is a spacecraft that was launched on an Atlas IIAS launch vehicle on 2 December 1995 to study the Sun, and began normal operations in May 1996.
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real-time computing (RToC) is the study of hardware and software systems which are subject to a "real-time constraint"—i.e., operational deadlines from event to system response.
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Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) (magnetofluiddynamics or hydromagnetics) is the academic discipline which studies the dynamics of electrically conducting fluids. Examples of such fluids include plasmas, liquid metals, and salt water.
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A framework is a basic conceptual structure used to solve a complex issue. This very broad definition has allowed the term to be used as a buzzword, especially in a software context.
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Hydro-Québec
Crown Corporation
Founded Montreal, Quebec (1944)
Headquarters Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Key people Thierry Vandal, President & CEO[1]
Industry Electricity generation & distribution
Products Electricity
Revenue $10.
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Crown Corporation
Founded Montreal, Quebec (1944)
Headquarters Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Key people Thierry Vandal, President & CEO[1]
Industry Electricity generation & distribution
Products Electricity
Revenue $10.
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March 13 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.
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Events
- 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected anti-pope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II.
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19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1950s 1960s 1970s - 1980s - 1990s 2000s 2010s
1986 1987 1988 - 1989 - 1990 1991 1992
Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX
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1950s 1960s 1970s - 1980s - 1990s 2000s 2010s
1986 1987 1988 - 1989 - 1990 1991 1992
Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX
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transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled wires. A changing current in the first circuit (the primary
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