Articles tagged with Solar Radiation
A strong X1.2 class solar flare was detected on May 14, 2013, with a non-Earth-directed CME caused by the flare. The CME is traveling at speeds of up to 745 miles per second and may impact spacecraft in its path.
The Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) will monitor extreme solar energy output from the sun, disrupting telecommunications, air travel, and power grids. The GOES-R satellite is expected to launch in 2015, providing more advanced capabilities and frequent images.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has released a 20-year updated version of the US National Solar Radiation Database, providing critical information for solar system designers. The updated database features improved cloud algorithms and an enhanced State University of New York model for gridded data based on satellite observations.
Astrophysicists at the University of New Hampshire have created PREDICCS, a near-real-time tool predicting space radiation hazards. The system integrates numerical models, real-time measurements, and 'propagation codes' to provide accurate projections out to Mars.
A coronal mass ejection (CME) was released by the sun on October 4, 2012, traveling at approximately 400 miles per second. The CME may affect electronic systems in satellites and on Earth, although major effects have not been observed in the past.
A recent potent follow-up solar flare delivered a powerful radiation punch to Earth's magnetic field due to existing energetic particles and a magnetic connection. This highlights the potential for space weather events to disrupt daily life and pose risks to astronauts, despite not being in direct path.
The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) has measured the radiation a human astronaut could be exposed to during a recent solar storm. The data collected will provide valuable information for future human space exploration, including insights into the physics of giant clouds and shielding provided by spacecraft.
Researchers analyze tension between controlling sea level rise and surface temperature changes using a model with 120 scenarios. Abrupt cooling from sea-level rise mitigation could be more damaging than increasing temperatures, and strategies differ for each goal.
A team of researchers used modeling to determine the type of testing that might be effective in future solar radiation management. Short-term tests could help inform decisions about larger scale deployments, but would require several decades and extrapolation to centuries-long time scales.
New studies suggest that Arctic sea ice loss is not irreversible, while radiation hazards for spacefarers and air travelers are likely to rise due to solar activity. Researchers also predict an increase in space weather radiation events over the next century.
A medium-sized solar flare, S1-class radiation storm, and spectacular coronal mass ejection were observed on June 7, 2011. The event was recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, showing a large eruption of cool gas with temperatures less than 80,000 K.
The Total Irradiance Monitor instrument on Glory will study short- and long-term fluctuations in the sun's energy output, influencing Earth's climate. A tiny CU-Boulder satellite, Hermes, also launched on Taurus XL, aims to improve communications systems in tiny satellites.
MESSENGER's successful entry into Mercury's orbit marks a major milestone in understanding the planet's origin, composition, and geological history. The spacecraft has captured stunning images of Mercury's previously unexplored hemisphere, revealing its intricate details.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a new method for reporting solar data, allowing policymakers and businesses to understand solar resources. The method presents solar data in a geographic information system (GIS) format, providing daily, monthly, and yearly averages.
A Canadian study confirmed the advantages of a retractable liquid foam system in improving greenhouse climates by reducing air temperature and increasing relative humidity. The technology improved plant microclimates and decreased crop productivity losses due to extreme conditions.
A University of Calgary scientist proposes two novel geoengineering approaches to mitigate global warming: releasing engineered nano-particles and sulphuric acid. These methods aim to reduce the negative effects of sulphates, which are blunt instruments for climate engineering.
A new study by Tadahisa Higashide predicts greenhouse tomato yield fluctuations based on solar radiation, improving predictability and profitability. The model strongly correlates fluctuations in fruit number and yield with solar radiation before anthesis.
The CU-Boulder Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) will measure rapid fluctuations in the sun's extreme ultraviolet output, affecting Earth's upper atmosphere and technology. Scientists hope to use this research to make better space weather predictions, predicting communications and navigation outages.
Researchers have identified 11,500-year patterns of wet and dry phases in tropical East Africa, linked to changes in solar radiation and Earth's axial rotation. These fluctuations had a significant impact on regional climate change, highlighting the importance of hydrological variations.
Small fluctuations in solar radiation have a significant impact on cloud formation and precipitation, with variations of just 0.1% affecting the Pacific Ocean's water temperature and precipitation patterns. This study demonstrates that understanding natural climatic variability is crucial for making reliable future climate scenarios.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has reclassified sunbeds and UV radiation as Group 1 carcinogens, increasing the risk of skin melanoma by 75% among young users. The IARC also found a positive association between UV-emitting tanning devices and ocular melanoma.
Researchers have discovered that the coronal heating mechanism is highly impulsive and can be explained by the acceleration of particles or direct heating. The study also suggests that energy release happens gradually close to the sun's surface, causing thermal nonequilibrium.
The University of Colorado at Boulder has built a $34 million solar instrument package to monitor global climate change. The Total Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS) will fly on the first flight of the National Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) in 2013.
A new National Research Council report emphasizes the physical risks of extended space journeys due to space radiation. The report recommends developing storm shelters to protect astronauts from harmful radiation, as well as improving space engineering techniques and enhancing solar forecasting.
A new hypothesis inverts the prevailing view that atmospheric carbon dioxide drives ice sheets. Instead, ice sheets are found to control CO2 levels and drive feedbacks that amplify ice growth and melting at specific cycles.
The ST5 Project is testing new technologies for future science missions, with three micro-satellites weighing around 25 kg each. The satellites will demonstrate the benefits of a constellation of small low-cost spacecraft obtaining simultaneous measurements in different locations.
Researchers at University of Oregon found a 10-15% increase in solar radiation in Oregon over the last 25 years, indicating sunnier summers despite reports of global dimming. This data will help refine regional climate models and track global warming in the Pacific Northwest.
A significant gap exists in understanding Earth's energy balance, crucial for accurately determining climate change. Scientists call for improved research observations and models to describe the overall energy balance of Earth's system.
The Van Allen Radiation Belt Slot, considered a safe zone, filled with concentrated radiation during the October and November 2003 solar storms. The radiation surge was the most intense ever observed in this region, posing significant risks to spacecraft.
A NASA study has found a significant increase in solar radiation over the past 24 years, which could contribute to global climate change. The trend is comparable to one previously reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and may have been present throughout the 20th century.
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) has recorded the Sun's influence on ozone and atmospheric gases over an 11-year solar cycle. The complete dataset provides key measurements toward understanding natural and man-made influences on ozone.
The MINOS study found high levels of air pollution over the Mediterranean Sea, originating from both western and eastern Europe, as well as South Asia. The pollution transport follows prevailing winds and affects ecosystems and human health, while aerosols alter solar radiation absorption and climate patterns.
The TIMED mission will study the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere/Ionosphere region, crucial for understanding space weather's effects on communications and satellite tracking. Ground-based instruments will be used to conduct a global study of this area.
Scientists will study the effects of space vacuum and solar radiation on four specially selected microbes, including one known to survive high temperatures. The experiment aims to test the theory that microbial life once came to Earth on a meteorite from another planet.
A team of researchers used the High Energy Transmission Grating to study a powerful gas flow surrounding a giant black hole. The wind is driven by intense radiation and contains elements such as oxygen, neon, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, argon, and iron.
Researchers have detected significant speed-ups and slow-downs in the rotation rate of gases at the inner edge of a spherical shell known as the convection zone. The discovery is believed to shed light on the physical dynamics of the 11-year solar cycle that affects Earth.
A team of scientists from NASA and Max Planck Institute observed the deflection of galactic dust grains by solar radiation, finding that radiation pressure is stronger than solar gravity for certain mass ranges. This phenomenon affects the trajectory of dust particles near the Sun, causing them to move slower and be deflected.
Researchers believe that microflares, miniature solar flares, are the key to heating the sun's corona. These events release as much energy as 10 million H-bombs and are found near magnetic islands and extended loops. The study suggests that cooler microflares drive the heating in these areas.
Scientists Harry van Loon and Karin Labitzke found a mirror image of the solar-stratosphere correlation in the Southern Hemisphere, spanning three solar cycles. The analysis suggests that the sun's 11-year solar cycle drives periodic changes in temperatures and pressure heights of the lower stratosphere from pole to pole.
A team of scientists at NCAR has developed a new method to accurately quantify the total radiative output of the sun, including ultraviolet, visible light, and infrared wavelengths. This breakthrough will provide better information on the sun's influence on earth's climate and improve our understanding of solar variability.
A University of Colorado at Boulder research team found that Earth is alternately peppered by extremely high-energy electrons from the sun and Jupiter. These 'killer electrons' are accelerated to energies thousands of times higher than usual near Earth, posing a threat to spacecraft and satellites.
The discovery contradicts the 'sulfate paradigm' which suggested sulfates offset the cooling effect of greenhouse gases. New findings indicate a potential increase in global warming due to absorbing solar radiation, not reflecting it like sulfates.