Anthropogenic Space Weather

Anthropogenic effects on the space environment started in the late 19th century and reached their peak in the 1960s when high-altitude nuclear explosions were carried out by the USA and the Soviet Union. These explosions created artificial radiation belts near Earth that resulted in major damages to several satellites. Another, unexpected impact of the high-altitude nuclear tests was the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that can have devastating effects over a large geographic area (as large as the continental United States). Other anthropogenic impacts on the space environment include chemical release ex- periments, high-frequency wave heating of the ionosphere and the interaction of VLF waves with the radiation belts. This paper reviews the fundamental physical process behind these phenomena and discusses the observations of their impacts.Comment: 71 pages, 35 figure

Space Weather Action Center

This is a revised "Tracking a Solar Storm-Student Observation Network" with a new format and Web site. The Space Weather Action Center (SWAC) allows students to use near real time data and track a solar storm. By following the basic steps in the Instructional Guide students can access, analyze and record NASA satellite and observatory data. There is a downloadable 'step-by-step' Educator's Setup Guide where you will find a variety of recommendations and diagrams detailing how to construct a fully functional SWAC while keeping potential limitations on space and technology in mind. Flip charts provide the step by step data use and there are also instructions for using green screen technology. Educational levels: Intermediate elementary, Middle school, High school, Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional

Cool Stars and Space Weather

Stellar flares, winds and coronal mass ejections form the space weather. They are signatures of the magnetic activity of cool stars and, since activity varies with age, mass and rotation, the space weather that extra-solar planets experience can be very different from the one encountered by the solar system planets. How do stellar activity and magnetism influence the space weather of exoplanets orbiting main-sequence stars? How do the environments surrounding exoplanets differ from those around the planets in our own solar system? How can the detailed knowledge acquired by the solar system community be applied in exoplanetary systems? How does space weather affect habitability? These were questions that were addressed in the splinter session "Cool stars and Space Weather", that took place on 9 Jun 2014, during the Cool Stars 18 meeting. In this paper, we present a summary of the contributions made to this session.Comment: Proceedings of the 18th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems, and the Sun, Eds G. van Belle & H. Harris, 13 pages, 1 figur

Satellite to Study ''Space Weather''

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration soon will launch another Explorer satellite to unravel some of the scientific mysteries of how "space weather" affects man's daily life and his future exploration of space. The 89-pound satellite, S-3a, similar to the highly successful Explorer XII placed into orbit last year, will be launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., no earlier than October 2, using a Thor-Delta rocket. If successful, this will be the 12th straight launch f o r the Delta continuing its unprecedented record for U.S. rocketry

Space Weather Action Center

The Space Weather Action Center is a computer-based activity that allows students to track, from their classroom, the development and progress of solar storms. The activity incorporates online NASA data and addresses national education standards in science, technology and math. Students rotate through four space weather learning stations and are challenged to answer the following questions: Do sunspot regions exist today that could be a source of solar storms?; Have radio signals been recorded today from a flare or coronal mass ejection that could affect Earth?; Has there been a measurable disturbance in the Earth's magnetic field?; and Have auroras been seen within the last 24 hours because of a solar storm? A setup guide is provided to show how to create a Space Weather Action Center in the classroom, including recommendations, diagrams, and the necessary list of materials. The instructional guide features background and evaluation materials, alignments to national standards, extension activities, and instructions on how to read, analyze and record space weather data. Educational levels: Middle school, High school