Sarah Simpson

Massive Solar Storms Inflict Little Damage on Earth

The face of the Sun had been peaceful and blemish-free for much of 2003. But space weather forecasters knew trouble was brewing on 24 October when Jupiter-sized sunspot 486 rotated into full view. Combined with two other unusually large spots, number 486 would kick up the most intense solar activity in 30 years according to several NOAA and NASA officials who were interviewed during the accompanying flurry of media coverage.

From Research Model to Forecasting Tool

Many experts agree that current capabilities for anticipating space storms trail atmospheric weather forecasting by 40 years or more. Improving space weather predictions could help avoid costly damage to critical communication and navigation satellites and power grids. Progress in the United States, though, has long been impeded by the lack of a comprehensive way to shift promising space weather simulations from the hands of researchers and developers to operators. Until recently, such transitions could take years. Dramatically cutting that transition time is one of the ways the new Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) is living up to its name. The CCMC involves branches of the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA, and the National Science Foundation.

CAWSES Fosters Sun-to-Earth Observations

Scientists collaborate on a new international initiative that expands cooperation in a broad range of space weather research.

Connecting the World's Space Agencies

The new International Living With a Star (ILWS) initiative that is supervised by a seven-member steering committee representing the main space agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia, and the United States, currently involves 24 space organizations worldwide. The mission of the fledgling program is to stimulate, strengthen, and coordinate space research in order to understand the governing processes of the connected Sun-Earth system as an integrated entity. Over the next decade, ILWS will assemble the largest fleet of spacecraft ever focused on a single scientific objective.

Second European Space Weather Week

International scientists and applications experts gathered to consider a new generation of space weather activities in Europe.

India, United States discuss joint efforts to monitor the ionosphere

The “India-United States Conference on Space Science, Applications, and Commerce: Strengthening and Expanding Cooperation” event drew some 600 scientists, engineers, business people and senior government and space agency officials from both countries. Representatives of the space science communities from both nations recommend satellite missions as one of the best ways to collaborate on space weather research.

The Sun's Fury In Three Dimensions

The Ulysses spacecrafts unique orbit over the solar poles gives scientists otherwise unattainable insight into the driving forces behind space weather.

Major Leader of U.S. Space Weather Forecasting Retires

The U.S. space weather community took a hit in early August when Ernest Hildner retired as director of NOAAs Space Environment Center (SEC). For nearly two decades, Hildner steered the worlds premier forecasting agency with a passionate devotion cited by scientists and administrators alike.

NCAR Sponsors Its First Space Weather Colloquium

Students from the United States, Taiwan, Canada, Chile, Finland, Italy, and Mexico gathered in June at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, to immerse themselves in space weather. For 8 intensive days of lectures, labs, and discussions, students expanded their perspectives on the breadth of physical processes and disruptive events that typify the Sun-Earth realm.

Second European Space Weather Week Set for November

Scientists and applications experts will once again gather in the Netherlands to discuss current activities and future plans in space weather.