Mapping out the heliosphere, Earth's protective bubble
Much as we may treasure and proclaim our independence, we actually live in a protective bubble called the heliosphere.
Astronomy
Sep 19, 2025
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Page 4: Research news on space weather
Space weather refers to the time-varying conditions in near-Earth space and throughout the heliosphere driven primarily by solar activity, including the solar wind, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), solar flares, and variations in the interplanetary magnetic field. As a physical phenomenon, it encompasses the coupling of solar outputs with Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere, producing geomagnetic storms, substorms, ionospheric disturbances, and energetic particle events. These processes are governed by magnetohydrodynamic and plasma-physical interactions, including magnetic reconnection, wave–particle interactions, and particle acceleration, and are quantitatively characterized using indices such as Kp, Dst, AE, and measures of solar wind and IMF parameters.
An AI model can forecast harmful solar winds days in advance
Scientists at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that can forecast solar wind speeds up to four days in advance, significantly more accurately than current methods. The study is published ...
Planetary Sciences
Sep 16, 2025
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Astrophysicists find sun's 11-year magnetic cycle mirrors younger stars, shaping Earth's space weather
Most places on Earth have seasons because our planet is on a tilt as it orbits the sun. But our star also has its own version of seasons that affect life on Earth—and new astronomical research is helping us better understand ...
Astronomy
Sep 10, 2025
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NASA heliophysics AI foundation model launched to support scientists, enhance space weather forecasting
NASA has launched Surya, its new heliophysics artificial intelligence foundation model to empower solar scientists with tools to enhance research and space weather forecasting. Southwest Research Institute's Dr. Andrés Muñoz-Jaramillo ...
Planetary Sciences
Aug 26, 2025
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Parker Solar Probe confirms decades-old theoretical models about magnetic reconnection
New research led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has confirmed decades-old theoretical models of magnetic reconnection, the process that releases stored magnetic energy to drive solar flares, coronal mass ejections ...
Astronomy
Aug 18, 2025
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NASA's Black Marble: Stories from the night sky
Viewed from space, Earth at night tells endless stories. Using satellite data, we can track population growth, natural disaster damage, cultural celebrations, and even space weather.
Space Exploration
Aug 5, 2025
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Weather scrubs Crew-11 launch, NASA and SpaceX to try again Friday
The next four humans in the parade of SpaceX launches from the Space Coast will have to wait at least another day for their trip to the International Space Station after weather caused a late scrub Thursday.
Space Exploration
Aug 1, 2025
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Science in REAL time: CubeSat poised to explore Earth's radiation belts
Just a short distance inland from the waves crashing against California's shore, NASA's Relativistic Electron Atmospheric Loss (REAL) CubeSat mission launched into the sky, taking off at 2:13 p.m. ET on July 23 from Vandenberg ...
Planetary Sciences
Jul 25, 2025
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Scientists use X-rays to remotely measure magnetic reconnection in near-Earth space
The magnetosphere, formed by Earth's magnetic field, acts as a protective shield that deflects solar wind—the flow of charged particles constantly streaming from the sun toward our planet. This magnetic barrier protects ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 22, 2025
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TRACERS dual-satellite mission prepares to explore magnetic reconnection at Earth's cusp
NASA's Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) mission, a collaborative effort led by the University of Iowa (UI) with substantial contributions from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), ...
Planetary Sciences
Jul 21, 2025
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