//www.koonmotors.com/news/earth_climate/geomagnetic_storms/ Latest research news on geomagnetic storms and solar flares including risks to electrical grids, astronauts, satellites and more. en-us Wed, 06 Sep 2023 14:54:53 EDT Wed, 06 Sep 2023 14:54:53 EDT 60 //www.koonmotors.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png//www.koonmotors.com/news/earth_climate/geomagnetic_storms/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230804123749.htm Geophysicists studied the activity of high energy electrons and clarified the unexpected protective role of the geomagnetic field surrounding the Earth. Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:37:49 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230804123749.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731151552.htm Earth is rapidly warming and scientists are developing a variety of approaches to reduce the effects of climate change. An astronomer has proposed a novel approach -- a solar shield to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth, combined with a tethered, captured asteroid as a counterweight. Engineering studies using this approach could start now to create a workable design that could mitigate climate change within decades. Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:15:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731151552.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230113145327.htm Disturbances to Earth's magnetic field can lead birds astray -- a phenomenon scientists call 'vagrancy' -- even in perfect weather, and especially during fall migration. While other factors such as weather likely play bigger roles in causing vagrancy, researchers found a strong correlation between birds that were captured far outside of their expected range and the geomagnetic disturbances that occurred during both fall and spring migrations. Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:53:27 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230113145327.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/12/221222101015.htm As the supersonic solar wind surges towards Earth, its interaction with our planet's magnetic field creates a shock to deflect its flow, and a foreshock filled with electromagnetic waves. How these waves can propagate to the other side of the shock has long remained a mystery. Thu, 22 Dec 2022 10:10:15 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/12/221222101015.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221108120003.htm As low Earth orbit becomes more cluttered, it becomes increasingly necessary to use middle Earth orbits, and radiation-tolerant cell designs will be needed. Making photovoltaics thinner should increase their longevity because the charge carriers have less far to go during their shortened lifetimes. Scientists propose a radiation-tolerant photovoltaic cell design that features an ultrathin layer of light-absorbing material. Compared to thicker cells, nearly 3.5 times less cover glass is needed for the ultra-thin cells to deliver the same amount of power after 20 years of operation. Tue, 08 Nov 2022 12:00:03 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221108120003.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220913110429.htm Astrophysicists show how and when specific particles form and offers clues to questions that have troubled scientists since the 1940s. Tue, 13 Sep 2022 11:04:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220913110429.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220517112246.htm Using technology similar to night-vision goggles, researchers have developed a device that can generate electricity from thermal radiation. Tue, 17 May 2022 11:22:46 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220517112246.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220412141011.htm Scientists report a method to study smaller magnetospheres, sometimes just millimeters thick, in the laboratory. The new experimental platform combines the magnetic field of the Large Plasma Device with a fast laser-driven plasma and a current-driven dipole magnet. The LAPD magnetic field provides a model of the solar system's interplanetary magnetic field, while the laser-driven plasma models the solar wind and the dipole magnet provides a model for the Earth's inherent magnetic field. Motorized probes allow system scans in three dimensions by combining data from tens of thousands of laser shots. Tue, 12 Apr 2022 14:10:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220412141011.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220329191722.htm Scientists have discovered a new source of super-fast, energetic electrons raining down on Earth's atmosphere, a phenomenon that contributes to the colorful aurora borealis and poses hazards to satellites, spacecraft and astronauts. Tue, 29 Mar 2022 19:17:22 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220329191722.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220126144204.htm Through analysis of ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica, a research team has found evidence of an extreme solar storm that occurred about 9,200 years ago. What puzzles the researchers is that the storm took place during one of the sun's more quiet phases -- during which it is generally believed our planet is less exposed to such events. Wed, 26 Jan 2022 14:42:04 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220126144204.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/10/211027122054.htm The Earth's atmosphere has been used as a 'laboratory' to carry out a physics experiment which could help to improve the performance of GPS. Wed, 27 Oct 2021 12:20:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/10/211027122054.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/08/210811162847.htm A major space weather event could have a catastrophic impact on Earth, disabling communications and electrical systems. Researchers are using the Frontera supercomputer to develop new geomagnetic forecasting methods and improve the Geospace Model used by NOAA for operational purposes. They hope to increase the lead time for space weather events from 30 minutes to 1-3 days, localize space weather forecasts, and provide uncertainty estimates. Wed, 11 Aug 2021 16:28:47 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/08/210811162847.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/08/210805115530.htm Understanding the Sun's magnetic dynamo could help predict solar weather, such as potentially dangerous geothermal storms, solar flares and sunspots. Mathematicians have proposed a new model of the Sun that matches observed data. Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:55:30 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/08/210805115530.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210722163026.htm 一种新的分析方法杂志的发展netic tangles on the Sun has led to a breakthrough in a longstanding debate about how solar energy is injected into the solar atmosphere before being released into space, causing space weather events. The first direct evidence that field lines become knotted before they emerge at the visible surface of the Sun has implications for our ability to predict the behavior of active regions and the nature of the solar interior. Thu, 22 Jul 2021 16:30:26 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210722163026.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/06/210614185559.htm A team of researchers working with data collected by an Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) have examined the simultaneous impacts of thunderstorms and solar flares on the ionospheric D-region (often referred to as the edge of space). Mon, 14 Jun 2021 18:55:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/06/210614185559.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/06/210614153944.htm For the first time, the boundary of the heliosphere has been mapped, giving scientists a better understanding of how solar and interstellar winds interact. Mon, 14 Jun 2021 15:39:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/06/210614153944.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/06/210608154452.htm The spectacularly colorful aurora borealis -- or northern lights -- that fills the sky in high-latitude regions has fascinated people for thousands of years. Now, a team of scientists has resolved one of the final mysteries surrounding its origin. Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:44:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/06/210608154452.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/06/210603171257.htm High performance computers are central to the quest to understand the sun's behavior and its role in space weather events. Scientists are using the Frontera supercomputer to improve the state-of-the-art in space weather forecasting. Researchers described the role of backstreaming pickup ions in the acceleration of charged particles in the universe, which play an important role in space weather. Thu, 03 Jun 2021 17:12:57 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/06/210603171257.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/05/210526093111.htm Tiny charged electrons and protons which can damage satellites and alter the ozone have revealed some of their mysteries to scientists. Wed, 26 May 2021 09:31:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/05/210526093111.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210426140855.htm New research shows placing solar panels on the roofs of Australian airport buildings could be an efficient step towards net zero emissions. Mon, 26 Apr 2021 14:08:55 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210426140855.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210405075853.htm A new study shows a correlation between the end of solar cycles and a switch from El Nino to La Nina conditions in the Pacific Ocean, suggesting that solar variability can drive seasonal weather variability on Earth. Mon, 05 Apr 2021 07:58:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210405075853.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210325115302.htm Sun-facing satellites monitor the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) light to give us advance warning of solar storms. But over the course of just a year or two, the metal filters in the detectors mysteriously lose their ability to transmit UV light. Now, scientists have found the first evidence indicating that carbonization is not the problem. Thu, 25 Mar 2021 11:53:02 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210325115302.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210309100127.htm Electrons arriving from the Sun are propelled by electrical energy generated as high as 30,000 kilometers above Earth, ultimately creating the dazzling displays of the northern and southern lights. Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:01:27 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210309100127.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210302130705.htm Analysis of observations made by satellites in 2014 has revealed a long-lasting 'space hurricane' -- a swirling mass of plasma several hundred kilometers above the North Pole, raining electrons instead of water. Tue, 02 Mar 2021 13:07:05 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/03/210302130705.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/02/210218142729.htm The temporary breakdown of Earth's magnetic field 42,000 years ago sparked major climate shifts that led to global environmental change and mass extinctions, a new international study shows. Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:27:29 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/02/210218142729.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/02/210202113747.htm In the Van Allen radiation belts, electrons can reach almost the speed of light. Researchers have revealed conditions for such strong accelerations. They had demonstrated in 2020: during solar storm plasma waves play a crucial role. However, it remained unclear why ultra-relativistic electron energies are not achieved in all solar storms. They now show: extreme depletions of the background plasma density are crucial. Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:37:47 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/02/210202113747.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/12/201221121813.htm Although stellar flares are typically viewed as a detriment to habitability, study shows 'life might still have a fighting chance.' Researchers find that flares drive a planets atmospheric composition to a new chemical equilibrium. Mon, 21 Dec 2020 12:18:13 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/12/201221121813.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/09/200922144309.htm Scientists discovered in 1996 that sunquakes are linked to solar flares. Now, using helioseismic holography, scientists have analyzed a 2011 flare and shown that the impulsive source that generated the sunquake, and the refracted acoustic waves that later rippled the solar surface, was submerged 1,000 kilometers below the photosphere and flare. Further sunquake study could reveal if submerged sources are common and whether they can predict the appearance of flares and potential impact on Earth. Tue, 22 Sep 2020 14:43:09 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/09/200922144309.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/09/200921115554.htm Researchers report the first ever clear images of nanojets -- bright thin lights that travel perpendicular to the magnetic structures in the solar atmosphere, called the corona -- in a process that reveals the existence of one of the potential coronal heating candidates: nanoflares. Mon, 21 Sep 2020 11:55:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/09/200921115554.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/09/200918113350.htm Scientists used observations recorded by members of the public to increase accuracy of computer model predictions of when harmful CMEs will hit Earth. Fri, 18 Sep 2020 11:33:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/09/200918113350.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/08/200821094832.htm A research team recently succeeded in developing the first physics-based model that can accurately predict imminent large solar flares, which can cause severe space weather disturbances affecting Earth. Fri, 21 Aug 2020 09:48:32 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/08/200821094832.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/08/200817144121.htm Earth's magnetic field acts like a protective shield around the planet, repelling and trapping charged particles from the Sun. But over South America and the southern Atlantic Ocean, an unusually weak spot in the field -- called the South Atlantic Anomaly, or SAA -- allows these particles to dip closer to the surface than normal. Mon, 17 Aug 2020 14:41:21 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/08/200817144121.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/07/200731135600.htm 科学家已经开发出一种新的模式,成功fully predicted seven of the Sun's biggest flares from the last solar cycle, out of a set of nine. With more development, the model could be used to one day inform forecasts of these intense bursts of solar radiation. Fri, 31 Jul 2020 13:56:00 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/07/200731135600.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/07/200729124404.htm Extensive power outages and satellite blackouts that affect air travel and the internet are some of the potential consequences of massive solar storms. These storms are believed to be caused by the release of enormous amounts of stored magnetic energy due to changes in the magnetic field of the sun's outer atmosphere - something that until now has eluded scientists' direct measurement. Researchers believe this recent discovery could lead to better 'space weather' forecasts in the future. Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:44:04 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/07/200729124404.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/07/200729124359.htm An aurora sightseeing tour leader in Alaska, was lucky enough to photograph a 'eruption' of brilliant pink light in the night skies one night in February. Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:43:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/07/200729124359.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/07/200720152407.htm Research has revealed that strange behavior of the magnetic field in the South Atlantic region existed as far back as eight to 11 million years ago, suggesting that today's South Atlantic Anomaly is a recurring feature and unlikely to represent an impending reversal of the Earth's magnetic field. Mon, 20 Jul 2020 15:24:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/07/200720152407.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/06/200625144835.htm The sun's convection zone plays a key role in the generation and evolution of the Sun's magnetic field. Analyzing data sets spanning more than 20 years, researchers have obtained the most comprehensive picture of the north-south flow of plasma in the convection zone ever. The flow goes around the convection zone in each hemisphere in about 22 years. Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:48:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/06/200625144835.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/06/200610112047.htm Extreme space weather events can significantly impact systems such as satellites, communications systems, power distribution and aviation. They are driven by solar activity which is known to have an irregular but roughly 11 year cycle. By devising a new, regular 'sun clock', researchers have found that the switch on and off of periods of high solar activity is quite sharp, and are able to determine the switch on-off times. Wed, 10 Jun 2020 11:20:47 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/06/200610112047.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/06/200602183417.htm Scientists have reproduced a process that occurs in space to deepen understanding of what happens when the Earth encounters the solar wind. Tue, 02 Jun 2020 18:34:17 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/06/200602183417.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/05/200530163107.htm On May 29, 2020, a family of sunspots -- dark spots that freckle the face of the Sun, representing areas of complex magnetic fields -- sported the biggest solar flare since October 2017. Although the sunspots are not yet visible (they will soon rotate into view over the left limb of the Sun), NASA spacecraft spotted the flares high above them. Sat, 30 May 2020 16:31:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/05/200530163107.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/02/200224111356.htm A new study offers some of the first evidence that gray whales might depend on a magnetic sense to find their way through the ocean. This evidence comes from the discovery that whales are more likely to strand themselves on days when solar storms disrupt Earth's magnetic field. Mon, 24 Feb 2020 11:13:56 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/02/200224111356.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/01/200129174512.htm What if solar cells worked at night? That's no joke. In fact, a specially designed photovoltaic cell could generate up to 50 watts of power per square meter under ideal conditions at night, about a quarter of what a conventional solar panel can generate in daytime, according to a recent concept article. Wed, 29 Jan 2020 17:45:12 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/01/200129174512.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/01/200129104745.htm A 'great' space weather super-storm large enough to cause significant disruption to our electronic and networked systems occurred on average once in every 25 years according to a new study. Wed, 29 Jan 2020 10:47:45 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/01/200129104745.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/12/191213115410.htm JAXA and NASA satellite observations show where killer electrons are generated in the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding Earth. Fri, 13 Dec 2019 11:54:10 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/12/191213115410.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/10/191021082746.htm Magnetic reconnection, a process in which magnetic field lines tear and come back together, releasing large amounts of kinetic energy, occurs throughout the universe. The process gives rise to auroras, solar flares and geomagnetic storms that can disrupt cell phone service and electric grids on Earth. A major challenge in the study of magnetic reconnection, however, is bridging the gap between these large-scale astrophysical scenarios and small-scale experiments that can be done in a lab. Mon, 21 Oct 2019 08:27:46 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/10/191021082746.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/09/190919093944.htm Scientists have developed a novel, standardized way of quantifying and comparing these variations in solar power. The new study may help guide the development and performance of solar photovoltaic farms -- systems that harness the sun's energy and convert it to electricity. Thu, 19 Sep 2019 09:39:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/09/190919093944.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/07/190729111318.htm A new study by physicists mimicked solar winds in the lab, confirming how they develop and providing an Earth-bound model for the future study of solar physics. Mon, 29 Jul 2019 11:13:18 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/07/190729111318.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/06/190621140337.htm Magnetic disturbances caused by phenomena like the northern lights can be tracked by a 'social network' of ground-based instruments, according to a new study. Fri, 21 Jun 2019 14:03:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/06/190621140337.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/06/190612084349.htm New research shows that the sun could experience a massive burst of energy called a superflare sometime in the next several thousand years. Wed, 12 Jun 2019 08:43:49 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/06/190612084349.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/04/190425115624.htm The celestial phenomenon known as STEVE is likely caused by a combination of heating of charged particles in the atmosphere and energetic electrons like those that power the aurora, according to new research. In a new study, scientists found STEVE's source region in space and identified two mechanisms that cause it. Thu, 25 Apr 2019 11:56:24 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/04/190425115624.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/04/190409162809.htm A new, first-of-its-kind space weather model reliably predicts space storms of high-energy particles that are harmful to many satellites and spacecraft orbiting in the Earth's outer radiation belt. Tue, 09 Apr 2019 16:28:09 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/04/190409162809.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/03/190311152744.htm Solar storms can be far more powerful than previously thought. A new study has found evidence for the third known case of a massive solar storm in historical times. The researchers believe that society might not be sufficiently prepared if a similar event were to happen now. Mon, 11 Mar 2019 15:27:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/03/190311152744.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/02/190212081540.htm The Earth's magnetic shield booms like a drum when it is hit by strong impulses, according to new research. Tue, 12 Feb 2019 08:15:40 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/02/190212081540.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/02/190207111256.htm New research shows that the sun's magnetic waves behave differently than currently believed. Thu, 07 Feb 2019 11:12:56 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/02/190207111256.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/01/190128142520.htm On Jan. 4, 2019, at 4:37 a.m. EST the CAPER-2 mission launched from Norway. The rocket flew through active aurora borealis, or northern lights, to study the waves that accelerate electrons into our atmosphere. Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:25:20 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/01/190128142520.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/12/181210115824.htm Scientists have developed a new technique for looking at historic solar data to distinguish trustworthy observations from those that should be used with care. This work is critical to understanding the sun's past and future as well as whether solar activity plays a role in climate change. Mon, 10 Dec 2018 11:58:24 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/12/181210115824.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/12/181207144405.htm New research describes striking similarity of laboratory research findings with observations of the four-satellite Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission that studies magnetic reconnection in space. Fri, 07 Dec 2018 14:44:05 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/12/181207144405.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/11/181108142418.htm Scientists have demonstrated for the first time that heat from the sun and coldness from outer space can be collected simultaneously with a single device. Their research suggests that devices for harvesting solar and space energy will not compete for land space and can actually help each other function more efficiently. Thu, 08 Nov 2018 14:24:18 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/11/181108142418.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/11/181105105448.htm The solar wind is not a calm summer breeze. Instead, it is a roiling, chaotic mess of turbulence and waves. There is a lot of energy stored in this turbulence, so scientists have long thought that it heats the solar wind. However, the heating expected from turbulence is not the heating observed. Scientists now have a new idea about what heats the solar wind, a theory called magnetic pumping. Mon, 05 Nov 2018 10:54:48 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/11/181105105448.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/10/181017094937.htm School students have successfully identified sounds caused by a solar storm in the Earth's magnetic shield. The group of students identified a series of waves whose pitch decreased over the course of several days. They found that this event occurred after a Coronal Mass Ejection or 'solar storm' caused a great disturbance to Earth's space environment. Wed, 17 Oct 2018 09:49:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/10/181017094937.htm