1. A proposal for collaboration (not a request for funds) Deborah Scherrer, Stanford University The International Heliophysical Year, 2007 United NationsIHY 2007

2. 2 Quick Overview of Presentation What is the IHY? What is the particular project? What could the IEEE-CS do? How do the project instruments work? Why CS might want to be involved

3. 3 What is the IHY? In celebration of the 50 th Anniversary of the IGY – International Geophysical Year of 1957 – The United Nations has designated 2007 as the International Heliophysical Year Goals: Continue a tradition of international collaboration on the 50 th anniversary of the IGY 1957 Demonstrate the beauty, relevance, and significance of space and Earth science to the world Inspire our future explorers Advance our understanding of the heliophysical processes that govern the Sun’s influence on Earth and the heliosphere

4. 4 What’s Going On? Stanford, in collaboration with teachers, NSF and NASA partners, has developed inexpensive Space Weather Monitors targeted for use in high schools and the equivalent around the world

5. 5 The IHY, UN, and Stanford The United Nations and organizers of the IHY have designated these as official IHY instruments, to be placed in 191 countries around the world. There is a significant software and computer aspect to this project

6. 6 How does the CS fit in? Significant computer component – the students and their monitors require software (and a PC, which the host country will provide) Data management software will be provided Data will be hosted at a central site (Stanford) A package of simple data analysis software, tools, and instructions are needed

7. 7 What kind of software & docs? Suitable for use by high school/community college students without much knowledge of computers Collect appropriate tools from resources that are feely available, e.g. Open Source, PDL, OpenOffice Excel, etc. Arrange/package for use with monitors and for worldwide distribution Document so students can learn to use the tools, the computers, and program them to do their own analyses

8. 8 How would it work? Dunno – it’s just a crazy idea??? But, maybe: CS would take responsibility for choosing, packaging, and documenting software tools and how to program or extend their usage by students CS would work primarily with the Stanford team IHY human resources are readily available IHY financial (minimal) resources may be available

9. 9 While you consider that, I’ll give you a Quick Intro to the Monitors and their Data Why needed? Scientific Goals The Sun, the ionosphere, and VLF waves VLF transmitters A bit about our monitors Data from the monitors Comparison with satellite data Relating back to solar active regions

10. 10 Solar Activity has Dramatic Effects on the Earth Knocks out satellites (military loses over $1 billion/yr) Disrupts power grids (e.g. 1989 Montreal, 6 million without power) Disrupts communications Causes dramatic aurorae Irradiates aircraft over 25,000’ Radiation dangerous or fatal to astronauts, esp. going to Moon, Mars

11. 11 Scientific Goals Daytime data: Understand the effects of solar activity on the Earth, hopefully for predictive capabilities Nighttime Data: Understand the electrodynamic coupling between the troposphere, mesosphere, and the lower ionosphere driven by lightning and thunderstorm systems

12. 12 The Sun, ionosphere, and radio waves

13. 13 VLF Transmitters 200 ’ Towers Antenna Wires 24 around the world “ NLK” 24.8 KHz Navy Radio Station, Jim Creek, WA 1 cycle = 7.5 miles (12 km) VLF signals can be received all over the world, because of the ionosphere! Primarily U.S. Navy stations for communicating with submarines

14. 14 Our Monitors SID Low Cost (~$150) Single band 1 sample/5 seconds Preassembled & tuned Students build antenna Available free to underserved schools AWESOME Moderate cost (~$3000) Broadband; sample rate of 100kHz on each channel Capture ELF/VLF frequencies ~30 Hz - 50kHz Dual use system: Daytime: monitor solar activity Nighttime: monitor atmospheric phenomena (e.g. lightning) So sensitive that nearly any signal above the ambient Earth noise floor can be detected Data useable for ionospheric and solar researchers

15. 15 Detecting Solar Flares – SID(s) SID Events! Not all events are readily explainable – students can research these Student data graphed by Excel But undeveloped nations cannot afford Excel

16. 16 GOES-12 Weather Satellite Detecting X-Rays from the Sun

17. 17 Connecting SID to GOES Data C4.5 C5.9 C3.8 M1.3 Students have also found flares not cataloged by GOES!!!

18. 18 Connecting SID events to sunspots (Active Regions) #Event Begin Max End Obs Q Type Loc/Frq Particulars Reg# #------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1960 + 1727 1736 1744 G12 5 XRA 1-8A C4.5 3.1E-03 0424 1990 + 1930 1946 1954 G12 5 XRA 1-8A C5.9 5.9E-03 0424 2000 + 2112 2134 2140 G12 5 XRA 1-8A C3.8 3.1E-03 0424 2040 + 2341 2354 0002 G12 5 XRA 1-8A M1.3 8.5E-03 0424

19. 19 For more information on Space Weather Monitors http://solar-center.stanford.edu/SID

20. 20 Advantages to the CS The IEEE Computer Society could be highly visible in the program, packaging and distribution -- Press releases, articles in “Computer,” printed materials, etc. Funds for publication of manual and software may be available from IHY, possibly to CS Pubs? Exceptional way to reach out to the world’s youth and inspire them with computers and software!

21. 21 Caveats Would require Committed Buy-in by CS Excom, BOG, and Staff Would require a team of 2-3 Volunteers to collect, organize, & document the software Serious inquiries only – this is a REAL project, timelines are short, and there are no backups if the CS should make a commitment and, gasp…, fail What do you think? ???