2. The Dangers of Solar Storms and Solar Cycles

3.  Radius = 696,000 km  Mass = 2E30 kg  Luminosity = 3.8E26 W  Rotation Rate  25 days at the equator and 30 days at the poles  Surface Temp  5,800 K average, 4,000 K sunspots (Ref 1)

4.  Nuclear fusion is the source of all the energy released by the sun  Steady fusion rates maintain a steady luminosity  Hydrogen fusion is the primary mechanism ▪ P-P chain ▪ CNO cycle (Content: Ref 13) (Image: Ref 10)

5.  For every 1 million atoms of hydrogen in the entire sun  98,000 atoms of helium  850 of oxygen  360 of carbon  120 of neon  110 of nitrogen  40 of magnesium  35 of silicon  35 of iron (Content: Ref 13) (Image: Ref 11)

6.  Plasma  Gas whose temperature is so hot it becomes sensitive to magnetism  Ionized due to high temperatures  Most energy is lost to electromagnetic radiation  Visible light  Infrared (Ref 13)

7.  Particle radiation also emits energy  Flares and coronal mass ejections release intense concentrations of energetic particles  Hazardous to astronauts in orbit and satellites (Content: Ref 13) (Image: Ref 12)

8. 1. Bennett, Jeffery, Donahue, Megan, Schneider, Nicholas, Voit, Mark, The Cosmic Perspective, 2007 Pearson Education Inc, San Franscisco CA, p.477-496 2. Pacella, Rena Marie. “Anatomy of a Solar Storm.” Popular Science. May 2007..http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviationspace/7250d257d5ed2110vgn vcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html 3. Phillips, Tony. “Solar Storm Warning.” NASA. 15 March, 2006. 9 October, 2007..http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/10mar_stormwarni ng.html 4. “SOHO Fact Sheet.” European Space Agency. 30 June, 2003. 4 December, 2007..http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/about/docs/SOHO_Fact_Sheet.p df

9. 5. Phillips, Tony. “Solar Storm Warning.” NASA. 15 March, 2006. 9 October, 2007..http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/10mar_stormwarni ng.html 6. Odenwald, Sten. “Solar Storms.” Washington Post. 10 March, 1999. 17 October, 2007..http://solar.physics.montana.edu/press/WashPost/Horizon/196l- 031099-idx.html 7. “STEREO - Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory.” NASA. 25 September, 2007. 4 December, 2007..http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/img/mpb.pdf 8. Roth, M. “Future missions for helioseismology.” Modern Solar Facilities – Advanced Solar Science, 85–88. 4 December, 2007..http://www.mps.mpg.de/projects/seismo/papers/goe_roth.pdf 25-Sep-2007

10. 9. Phillips, Tony PhD “Who’s Afraid of a Solar Flare?” NASA Science. October 2005..http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/07oct_afraid.htm 10. http://atropos.as.arizona.edu/aiz/teaching/a250/pp.html 11. http://webusers.astro.umn.edu/~larry/CLASS/AST2001/pre2007/massi ve_star_struct.jpg http://webusers.astro.umn.edu/~larry/CLASS/AST2001/pre2007/massi ve_star_struct.jpg 12. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/soho_top10_winners_03112 5-2.html 13. http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/sun_worldbook.html#backToTop 25-Sep-2007