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.
"Killer electrons" that travel at nearly light speed inside Earth's Van Allen belts—the zone that surrounds the planet and traps energetic charged particles—pose a major threat to equipment in space by causing malfunctions ...
Planetary Sciences
Nov 11, 2024
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A new generation of space materials left Earth on November 5 as they head to the International Space Station (ISS) to undergo testing in the brutal conditions of low Earth orbit.
Space Exploration
Nov 5, 2024
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Space weather is a double-edged sword: It's capable of delivering majestic phenomena like the auroras near Earth's poles, but it can also have more alarming consequences with significant national security implications.
Planetary Sciences
Oct 23, 2024
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Encircling Earth are the Van Allen radiation belts—vast, doughnut-shaped rings of highly energetic charged particles, mostly originating from the sun, that are trapped by our planet's magnetic field, or magnetosphere. The ...
Planetary Sciences
Oct 16, 2024
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Expect to see more northern lights in unusual places as the sun continues to sizzle, space weather forecasters said Tuesday.
Space Exploration
Oct 15, 2024
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When lightning strikes, the electrons come pouring down. In a new study, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, led by an undergraduate student, have discovered a novel connection between weather on Earth and ...
Planetary Sciences
Oct 12, 2024
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Severe geomagnetic storm conditions could hamper ongoing recovery efforts for Hurricanes Helene and Milton by disrupting satellite communications, power grids and GPS services, the US Space Weather Prediction Center warned ...
Planetary Sciences
Oct 10, 2024
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A massive ball of plasma and accompanying magnetic field ejected from the sun is expected to strike Earth on Thursday morning, potentially triggering auroras as far south as Alabama, according to US forecasters.
Planetary Sciences
Oct 10, 2024
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A severe solar storm is headed to Earth that could stress power grids even more as the U.S. deals with major back-to-back hurricanes, space weather forecasters said Wednesday.
Planetary Sciences
Oct 9, 2024
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For the first time, scientists have taken near-daily measurements of the sun's global coronal magnetic field, a region of the sun that has only been observed irregularly in the past. The resulting observations are providing ...
Planetary Sciences
Oct 3, 2024
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