1. Solar Activity and Space Weather1

2. What happens on the Sun affects what happens on Earth.
Image courtesy of SOHO
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3. Space Weather: The Sun’s influence on terrestrial affairs
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4. Magnetic Field Lines Magnetism produces invisible lines of force
between the poles of
the object.
Compasses align themselves along magnetic field lines.
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5. Earth has a magnetic field.
Magnetic field lines extend between Earth's north and south poles creating the magnetosphere.
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6. The Sun sends more than light and warmth to the Earth!
It also sends high velocity,
charged particles
(a plasma),
a “SOLAR WIND.”
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7. The solar wind squashes and stretches the Earth's magnetosphere.
The magnetic field lines
on the Sun’s side are
squashed, while
the magnetic field
lines on the opposite
side are stretched out.
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8. Sun-Earth connection The Sun and Earth are connected by the
Sun’s atmosphere, its solar wind.
Changes on the Sun affect the solar wind
flow, thereby affecting the Earth.
Click here to watch a movie!!!
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9. What affects the solar wind?
Solar flares
Solar flares occur when
magnetic energy built up in
the Sun’s atmosphere is
suddenly released.
Radiation is emitted from the
entire electromagnetic
spectrum with the energy
equivalent of millions of
hydrogen bombs exploding
simultaneously!
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10. Coronal Mass Ejections (CME)
Coronal mass ejections are
explosions in the Sun‘s
corona that spew out tons
of solar particles.
Arriving one to four days
later, they cause strong
geomagnetic storms,
auroras, and electrical
power blackouts.
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11. Earth’s natural defenses are:
The magnetosphere
A magnetic bubble deflecting charged particles from the solar wind.
The atmosphere
A radiation and particle absorber.
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12. Solar emissions at supersonic speeds are
constantly bombarding this protective bubble.
Some break through, resulting in brilliant
auroras and, more dramatically, solar storms.
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13. Auroras
Auroras are caused by strong solar winds and powerful magnetic storms.
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14. Solar Storms Because of our reliance on technology,
solar storms are troublesome.
In space they can:
endanger astronauts,
damage satellites, and
cause communication blackouts.
On the ground they can:
disrupt communication systems,
damage power grids, and
confound navigation systems (GPS).
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15. Space Weather 15 Solar Activity and Space Weather

16. How can scientists examine Space Weather?
One way: Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR)
Temperature is related to a particle’s average kinetic energy.
The ISR measures the temperature of the ionosphere’s plasma which has both ions (Ti) and electrons (Te). 16

17. Incoherent Scatter Radar
Plate Tectonics, Geodesy, and VLBI 17 17

18. Getting Data from a Data Base Using MIT’s Madrigal ISR Data Set
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19. Solar Activity and Space Weather
To make the data student-friendly, Our MIT Madrigal data sets contain a limited set of parameters.
Instrument: Millstone Hill IS Radar
Parameters displayed: Date and Time to the second, Universal Time, Log electron density, Electron and Ion temperature in K
Altitude: 275 km to 325 km
Radar angle: Overhead, 85º to 90º
Time: Around noon,11:00 AM to 1:00 PM (Not always selected)
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20. Annual Ionospheric Temperatures Minimum in the Solar Cycle
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21. Annual Ionospheric Temperatures Maximum in the Solar Cycle
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22. Solar Activity and Space Weather22

23. Solar Activity and Space Weather
Summary
Using Space Weather to Demonstrate the Scientific Method
Space Weather and ISR
Demystifying Scientific Data and the Scientific Process
How Research Scientists Think and Work
Data Collection and its Subsequent Analysis
Student and Educator Lesson Plans are available.
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24. Watch the Space Weather 28 minute Video !
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