5 Things: Space Weather 0 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:16.430 So, the Sun looking here from the ground seems very constant and quiet. 1 00:00:16.610 --> 00:00:26.150 But actually, when we look at it from space, we can see it's quite turbulent and active. Space weather is activity on the Sun and in 2 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:30.050 the near-Earth space that can affect our technological infrastructure in society. 3 00:00:35.180 --> 00:00:43.460 The Sun is constantly spewing out a stream of particles called the solar wind that goes out into the solar system and it affects us 4 00:00:43.470 --> 00:00:46.340 here near Earth where we're protected by a magnetic field. 5 00:00:46.720 --> 00:00:51.880 The interaction between the solar wind and the magnetic field can cause space weather. 6 00:00:55.500 --> 00:01:04.100 The Carrington event is the largest storm we've seen in recorded history when we're looking at space weather. But every solar cycle 7 00:01:04.110 --> 00:01:06.350 which repeats about every 11 years, 8 00:01:06.360 --> 00:01:11.780 one estimate estimates that there's a 10 percent chance of getting a large storm like the Carrington event 9 00:01:11.790 --> 00:01:13.490 that could impact us here on Earth. 10 00:01:18.340 --> 00:01:22.040 But we see solar storms almost all the time. 11 00:01:22.330 --> 00:01:31.320 And these solar storms have an effect on our technological infrastructure. Solar storms can cause activity in Earth's 12 00:01:31.330 --> 00:01:42.560 atmosphere and magnetosphere that can damage electrical power grids that power our communities; interrupt radio and satellite 13 00:01:42.570 --> 00:01:47.230 communications; and can cause our GPS navigation to fail. 14 00:01:47.260 --> 00:01:55.990 NOAA is working with its international partners to ensure that we have different vantage points where we can 15 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.010 observe space weather. 16 00:01:58.110 --> 00:02:06.780 Our space weather observing infrastructure from space includes the NOAA DSCOVR satellite and the NASA ACE satellite that are 17 00:02:06.790 --> 00:02:09.900 stationed upstream of Earth to give us a first buoy 18 00:02:09.910 --> 00:02:11.130 measurement of the solar wind. 19 00:02:12.140 --> 00:02:19.120 It also includes the ESA/NASA SOHO satellite and the NASA STEREO satellite 20 00:02:19.130 --> 00:02:24.340 that image the Sun and also make coronagraph measurements of the outer atmosphere of the Sun, 21 00:02:24.350 --> 00:02:28.430 the corona, which can tell us when large explosions happen off the Sun. 22 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:46.810 We also observe the Sun and the Earth's magnetic field from the geostationary location with NOAA's GOES. 23 00:02:46.820 --> 00:02:55.060 So, the way we use this space weather information from satellites and from the ground is to be able to make forecasts and predictions, 24 00:02:55.070 --> 00:03:04.340 just like we do with hurricanes and terrestrial weather. We observe the Sun and look for activity and see how it develops. 25 00:03:07.870 --> 00:03:12.980 And see if it's going to culminate into a large explosion that can impact us here on Earth. 26 00:03:15.540 --> 00:03:27.120 NOAA is working with its international partners to expand our observing capability. We're committed to observing along the Sun 27 00:03:27.150 --> 00:03:27.720 Earth line. 28 00:03:27.730 --> 00:03:32.850 So, we're going to do the imaging of the Sun and the upstream buoy measurements of the solar wind 29 00:03:32.860 --> 00:03:35.280 along the Sun-Earth axis. 30 00:03:41.220 --> 00:03:47.460 The more we understand about the Sun, the more we can prepare for it and become just like we are a weather-ready nation, 31 00:03:47.470 --> 00:03:49.530 become a space weather-ready nation. 32 00:03:51.950 --> 00:03:59.490 And as we look forward to humans exploring out into the solar system and advancing our space commerce activities, 33 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:05.090 space weather becomes more and more important.