What is "space weather", and why should I care?
The term "space weather" was coined to describe conditions in outer space. Just like "atmospheric weather" that we experience every day, space weather is driven by the Sun. The most visible space weather effect is the aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights.
Space weather occurs because the Sun is a magnetically-variable star and, for planets with atmospheres or magnetic fields, the variable Sun can have profound effects. Since Earth has both an atmosphere and a magnetic field, we experience many space weather effects, even on the ground.
Most people have heard about "solar flares" which is one of the more violent ways the Sun varies as magnetic energy is transformed into heat and energized atomic particles. But the Sun also blows off plasma and strong magnetic fields into the heliosphere. When Earth runs into one of these magnetic fields, then a geomagnetic storm can occur.
Solar flares...geomagnetic storms...so what, and who cares?!
Do you ever use electricity? Have you ever flown in a jet airplane? Do you watch television? Do you use a telephone? Does anyone you know rely on GPS (Global Positioning System)? The societal infrastructure that we all expect to be there 24x7 -- power systems, as well as our communication and navigation systems, can be temporarily put out of commission by space weather storms.
In upcoming months we will explore some space weather causes and effects through this Q & A column, so be on the lookout. In the meantime, one of the web sites with information about space weather is:
In the United States, NOAA is the official agency in charge of making space weather forecasts. You can see the present space weather conditions at their web site:
This week's question comes from Dr. Chris St. Cyr. Dr. St. Cyr is a researcher in the Solar Physics Branch, and he is the Senior Project Scientist for NASA's Living With a Star Program.