Space Weather

Introduction

So who cares about what the weather is in outer space? Actually, everyone, they just aren't aware of it. So much of lives today are dependent on technologies that are directly affected by solar and geomagnetic disturbances that the ability to predict the occurrance and duration of such disturbances short at least be a concern. Space weather disturbances can have a direct impact on navigation, radio reception and can even cause power outages.

Getting Started

First, if you are complete "newbie" to this, click here to visit The Space Environment Center's Education Website. This site packed with information that will help you get off on the right foot.

People that are new to space weather usually like to start out by trying to predict when the Aurora Borealis will be visable in their area. In Iowa this does not happen frequently, but much more so than it does in more Southern states. Predicting when the Aurora will be visable is important since most people live in urban areas and can't see the Aurora due to light pollution even during peak conditions. So, they will have to travel to a rural area to do so.

First you have to know where you are in reference to how the charts and graphs are put together. For instance, if you are in Des Moines you are (according to the NOAA Space Environment Center) at Latitude 94W, Longitiude 42N and are at a Corrected Magnetic Latitude of 51.

So in order to be able to see the Aurora Borealis there must be an Auroral Activity Level of 10 or higher or a Kp Index level of 7.5 or higher. The following links will help determine this for you. They should open in a new window.

3 Day Kp index plot

POES Auroral Activity

Radio

The most visable effects of space weather on Earth is the effects that it can have on radio communications. In peak disturbances, radio communications may become severly disturbed or even impossible. Satellite radio and TV may become non-functional as well.

A relatively small number of people have satellite TV in their homes and even fewer use a satellite radio service. Most people don't realize that many of their favorite programs on broadcast radio and TV arrive at their local broadcaster via satellite. Nationally syndicated radio shows like: Dr. Laura, Rush Limbaugh, Phil Hendrie, etc. are broadcast via satellite to local stations from a remote studio. For instance: Rush Limbaugh's show is run from the WABC 770 AM studio in New York City. Should there be a satellite outage, Rush's audience would be limited to the New York City area.

SEC's Radio Users' Page

Navigation

Most people think this doesn't effect them. However, if they travel by air, use a GPS device, or have OnStar in your car, it does. You can learn more about navigation issues at: Navigation Systems Page

Electric Power

Because of the lack of igneous rock in Iowa, this isn't much of a problem here. To learn more about this, here is a link to an article on this subject: Geomagnetic Storms Can Threaten Electric Power Grid

Electric Power Page

Space Weather

Space Weather Alerts

Current Space Weather

SEC's Online Data

IPS Radio and Space Services

IPS HF Radio Predictions

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