Solar Storm Alert

Many of us listen to weather forecasts when making weekend plans or simply deciding how to dress each morning. Do you know that there are people who pay attention to solar weather forecasts? What can such forecasts teach us?

Solar storm activity reaches a maximum about once every 11 years, causing a period of great turbulence, solar winds, and sunspots. The last solar maximum occurred in 1989. Scientists say that Earth should be prepared for a peak of solar activity throughout this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued alerts last month, warning that geomagnetic storms could disrupt everything from telephone service to air-traffic control.

Solar storms result from a number of factors. In brief, the Sun's magnetic field builds up tension until it breaks through the surface, producing sunspots, which are cooler than other regions of the Sun. Sunspots are often accompanied by solar flares, large explosions that release a tremendous amount of energy. Charged particles from the solar flares travel through space and enter Earth's magnetic field. They can cause havoc with power plants and wireless communication systems of all kinds.

• Read an article about the alert: "Scientists detect major solar flare, issue storm warning."
  
  
• Read a Time magazine article that explains the solar maximum: "Stormy Weather."
  
  
• Read the current solar forecast .

Learn about the Problem

You can learn about basic magnetic fields and the effect of the field on a charged particle in the activity Physics Explorer: Magnetic Field .

Then you can learn more about what causes deflection of a charged particle in a magnetic field in the activity Physics Explorer: Factors Affecting Force .

To learn specifically about Earth's magnetic field, read What is the Magnetosphere?

Think about the Problem

Standard television pictures and images on a computer screen are obtained by the deflection of electrons using a magnetic field. If you have ever placed a magnet near your computer screen (which IS NOT RECOMMENDED), you have seen how the picture becomes distorted. Compare this phenomenon to the disruption of wireless communications during a solar storm.

For the Teacher: Extending the Problem

• Students who want to learn more about space weather should visit the following sites:
  
  
  • Space Weather Bureau , which offers general space-related lesson plans
    
    
  • NOAA's Space Environment Center , which has educational materials for students and teachers
    
    
  • Solar Max 2000 , which provides educational information and classroom activities dedicated to solar activity
    
    
  • The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory , which has educational materials
  
  
  
• Students can take a virtual, multimedia field trip of the Sun at The Virtual Sun .
  
  
• The online lesson Stellar Temperature Measurement: How Hot is That Star? teaches secondary school students how scientists determine the temperature of the Sun. There are six topics for students as well as teacher resources.