HFU HF Underground

General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: ChrisSmolinski on September 21, 2016, 1625 UTC

Title: US sharpens surveillance of crippling solar storms
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on September 21, 2016, 1625 UTC
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 (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 (http://www.hfunderground.com/propagation)
Title: Re: US sharpens surveillance of crippling solar storms
Post by: Pigmeat on September 21, 2016, 1847 UTC
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.