US sharpens surveillance of crippling solar storms

[ChrisSmolinski]

As early as the end of this month, NOAA should have a much better idea of just how dangerous those electromagnetic storms are. The agency will begin releasing forecasts that use a more sophisticated model to predict how incoming solar storms could fry electrical power grids. It will be the clearest guide yet as to which utility operators, in what parts of the world, need to worry.

Until now, NOAA had warned of solar activity using the planetary K-index, a scale that ranks the current geomagnetic threat to the entire Earth. The new ‘geospace’ forecast, which draws on more than two decades of research, comes in the form of a map showing which areas are likely to be hit hardest.

http://www.nature.com/news/us-sharpens-surveillance-of-crippling-solar-storms-1.20630

Looks like the data is here: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/geospace-experimental-test-product
Currently I am seeing data from a few days ago, so they don't seem to be quite fully up and running yet.

I'll see if I can add it to the HFU Propagation Tools page: http://www.hfunderground.com/propagation

[Pigmeat]

I don't have a link, but there is a group of scientists looking into ancient tree ring data for evidence of the frequency of solar flares for similar reasons. It was very interesting. I didn't know they could be used that way?

Could the crusts of dirt behind Fansome's ears be next? Talk about ancient.