Heliosphere - intensities, the ionosphere and the solar wind (original) (raw)
Related papers
Heliospheric consequences of solar activity in geophysical and interplanetary phenomena
Geofísica Internacional, 2004
Hemos hecho un análisis de diversos fenómenos solares como el flujo magnético solar total, el área de los hoyos coronales polares y las manchas solares. Investigamos su evolución temporal a lo largo de varios ciclos solares y su posible relación con ondas de choque interplanetarias, comienzos repentinos de tormentas magnéticas en la Tierra y variaciones en la intensidad de rayos cósmicos. Nuestros resultados enfatizan la relación entre la emergencia de flujo magnético solar y la dinámica del medio interplanetario, en particular la importancia de la evolución de los hoyos coronales y la estructura de la heliosfera.
Heliospheric images of the solar wind at Earth
The Astrophysical …, 2008
NR Sheeley, Jr., AD Herbst, 1 CA Palatchi, 2 Y.-M. Wang, RA Howard, JD Moses, A. Vourlidas, JS Newmark, DG Socker, SP Plunkett, and CM Korendyke Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375-5352; sheeley@spruce.nrl. ...
Our planet is immersed in a seemingly invisible yet exotic and inherently hostile environment. Above the protective cocoon of Earth's lower atmosphere is a plasma soup composed of electrified and magnetized matter entwined with penetrating radiation and energetic particles. Our Sun's explosive energy output forms an immense structure of complex magnetic fields. This colossal bubble of magnetism, known as the heliosphere, stretches far beyond the orbit of Pluto. On its way through the Milky Way, this extended atmosphere of the Sun affects all planetary bodies in the solar system. It is itself influenced by slowly changing interstellar conditions that in turn can affect Earth's habitability. In fact, the Sun's extended atmosphere drives some of the greatest changes in our local magnetic environment affecting our own atmosphere, ionosphere, and potentially our climate. This immense volume is our cosmic neighborhood; it is the domain of the science called heliophysics... Heliophysics seeks understanding of the interaction of the large complex, coupled system comprising the Sun, Earth, and Moon, other planetary systems, the vast space within the solar system, and the interface to interstellar space. Heliophysics flight missions form a fleet of solar, heliospheric, and geospace spacecraft that operate simultaneously to understand this coupled Sun-Earth system... A robust heliophysics research program is critical to human and robotic explorers venturing into space. Solar radiation drives the climate system and sustains the biosphere of Earth. Solar particles and fields drive radiation belts, high-altitude winds, heat the ionosphere, and alter the ozone layer. The resulting space weather affects radio and radar transmissions, gas and oil pipelines, electrical power grids, and spacecraft electronics. As a result, scientific research in this area has the potential to return economic and political value to modern society. An effective plan incorporates studying the Sun, heliosphere, and planetary environments as elements of a single interconnected system: one that contains dynamic space weather, and one that evolves in response to solar, planetary, and interstellar conditions. NASA is working to advance this science that enables space weather prediction by answering fundamental questions about this system's behavior:: :-What causes the Sun to vary?? ?-How do the Earth and the Heliosphere respond?? ?-What are the impacts on humanity?? ? Heliophysics strategic goals are achieved through four program/mission lines: two strategic programs/missions, one competed program, and a Research and Analysis program. Solar Terrestrial Probes, a strategic program, provide understanding of the fundamental processes inherent in all astrophysical systems and how they affect the nature of our home in space. Living With a Star, the other strategic program, emphasizes the science necessary to understand those aspects of the Sun and space environment that most directly affect life and society and that enable robotic and human exploration of the solar system. The Explorer Program consists of competitively selected small PIled missions that can be developed relatively quickly, providing frequent flight opportunities for world-class scientific investigations from space. The Heliophysics Research Program supports physics-based modeling that has played an increasingly important role both in defining the missions and interpreting their observations. Theme Overview
Studying Sun–Planet Connections Using the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO)
Solar Physics, 2012
The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO) is a software infrastructure involving a collection of web services, heliospheric data sources (e.g., solar, planetary, etc.), and event catalogues-all of which are accessible through a unified front end. In this paper we use the HELIO infrastructure to perform three case studies based on solar events that propagate through the heliosphere. These include a coronal mass ejection that intersects both Earth and Mars, a solar energetic particle event that crosses the orbit of Earth, and a
SOLAR ACTIVITY - PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE A Personal Journey
2012
As our civilization depends increasingly on space-borne assets and on a delicate and vulnerable earth-bound infrastructure, solar activity and its potential impact becomes of increasing importance and relevance. In his famous paper on the Maunder Minimum, Eddy (1976) introduced the notion that the Sun is a variable star on long time scales. After the recent decade of vigorous research based on cosmic ray and sunspot data as well as on geomagnetic activity, an emerging consensus reconstruction of solar wind magnetic field strength has been forged for the last century. The consensus reconstruction shows reasonable agreement among the various reconstructions of solar wind magnetic field the past ~170 years. New magnetic indices open further possibilities for the exploitation of historic data. The solar wind is a direct result of solar magnetic activity providing an important link to the effects on the Earth's environment. Reassessment of the sunspot series (no Modern Grand Maximum) and new reconstructions of Total Solar Irradiance also contribute to our improved knowledge (or at least best guess) of the environment of the Earth System, with obvious implications for management of space-based technological assets or, perhaps, even climate. Several lines of evidence suggest that the Sun is entering a period of low activity, perhaps even a Grand Minimum. Average space weather might be ''milder'' with decreased solar activity, but the extreme events that dominate technological effects are not expected to disappear. Prediction of solar activity has a poor track record, but the progression of the current Cycle 24 is in accordance with its behaviour predicted from the evolution of the solar polar fields, so perhaps there is hope.
Solar Wind Harp: Exposing the Gap in the Map
The Solar Wind Harp (http://www.solarwindharp.com) is a data driven audiovisual performance system artwork. It collects solar wind data in real-time, sonifying and visualizing the electromagnetic pulse of the Sun before that pulse reaches Earth. Derived from the next generation of early warning systems commissioned by the US science agencies NASA and NOAA – the DSCOVR Solar Wind Harp is part performance instrument, part time machine, and a critical investigation into the phenomenological synapse that separates all scientific inquiry from experiential authenticity.This synapse, or gap, forms the conceptual basis of the project, pointing out the subtle disconnect between observation and experience on the one hand, and measurement and interpretation on the other.