The science of space weather

Add to your list(s) Download to your calendar using vCal

• Jonathan Eastwood (Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley)
• Tuesday 10 February 2009, 14:00-15:00
• British Antarctic Survey, Room 330B.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Christian Franzke.

Understanding the complexity inherent in collisionless plasmas (as encountered in space) is a fundamental problem in physics, but one which is also relevant to the high profile, multi-billion dollar business of space, a business which touches our everyday life in numerous ways, from the mundane, such as GPS units in cars, to the exotic, such as the trip of a lifetime on a suborbital rocket flight. However, it has become clear that the invisible link between the Sun and the Earth, mediated by the solar wind, results in a near-Earth space environment which can be hazardous for both robotic and human activities in space, and can also have a severe impact on our everyday life. As well as providing dramatic auroral displays, ‘space weather’ storms have caused power blackouts, the failure of radio communications, the loss of satellites, implementation of astronaut safety procedures on the International Space Station, and many other problems.

The main causes of variability in the near Earth space environment are briefly reviewed, followed by a discussion of recent advances in understanding the physics of magnetic reconnection; although many plasma phenomena contribute to space weather, reconnection is considered crucial because it enables the storage and explosive release of energy in both the solar corona and the Earth’s magnetosphere. This research is placed in context by describing a number of specific examples of space weather in more detail.

As society inexorably increases its dependence on space, the necessity of predicting and mitigating space weather will become ever more acute. This requires a deep understanding of the behavior of the plasmas that fill space and is prompting the development of a new generation of scientific space missions which we describe. We also speculate on the future exploitation and exploration of space and the role space weather will play.

This talk is part of the British Antarctic Survey series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• All Talks (aka the CURE list)
• Biology
• British Antarctic Survey
• British Antarctic Survey, Room 330B
• Cambridge Environment
• Climate Science Seminars within Cambridge
• Featured lists
• Life Sciences
• Life Sciences
• ME Seminar
• Queens' College Politics Society
• School of Physical Sciences
• Talks related to atmosphere and ocean dynamics and climate science
• my_list
• ob366-ai4er
• other talks

Note that ex-directory lists are not shown.