Nation’s First Operational Satellite in Deep Space Reaches Final Orbit

More than 100 days after it launched, NOAA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite has reached its orbit position about one million miles from Earth.

Once final instrument checks are completed, DSCOVR, which will provide improved measurements of solar wind conditions to enhance NOAA’s ability to warn of potentially harmful solar activity, will be the nation’s first operational space weather satellite in deep space. Its orbit between Earth and the sun is at a location called the Lagrange point 1, or L1, which gives DSCOVR a unique vantage point to see the Earth and sun.

Data from DSCOVR, coupled with a new forecast model set to come online in 2016, will enable NOAA’s space weather forecasters to predict geomagnetic storm magnitude on a regional basis. Geomagnetic storms occur when plasma and magnetic fields streaming from the sun impact Earth’s magnetic field. Large magnetic eruptions from the sun have the potential to bring major disruptions to power grids, aviation, telecommunications, and GPS systemsDSCOVR will trigger early warnings whenever it detects a surge of energy that could cause a geomagnetic storm that could bring possible damaging impacts for Earth,” said Stephen Volz, Ph.D., Assistant Administrator for NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service.


On June 20, 2013, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft captured this coronal mass ejection (CME). A solar phenomenon that can send billions of tons of particles into space that can reach Earth within three days.
Credits: NASA

DSCOVR will eventually replace NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) research satellite as America’s primary warning system for solar magnetic storms headed towards Earth. ACE will continue to provide valuable research data to the science community.

In addition to space weather-monitoring instruments, DSCOVR is carrying two NASA Earth-observing instruments that will gather a range of measurements from ozone and aerosol amounts, to changes in Earth's radiation budget—the balance between incoming radiation (largely from the sun) and that which is reflected from Earth. This balance affects our climate.


An aurora as seen over the Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks, Alaska, on Feb. 28, 2011.
Credits: NOAA

"DSCOVR has reached its final orbit and will soon be ready to begin its mission of space weather monitoring for NOAA and Earth observing for NASA," said Al Vernacchio, DSCOVR project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colo., will begin using data from DSCOVR in its space weather forecasts as soon as DSCOVR is deemed operational.

The DSCOVR mission is a partnership between NOAA, NASA, and the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force provided the Space X Falcon 9 launch vehicle for the mission.  NOAA will operate DSCOVR from its NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Md., and process the space weather data at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colo., one of NOAA’s nine National Centers for Environmental Prediction. SWPC will distribute these data to users within the United States and around the world. The data will be archived at NOAA’s National Center for Environmental Information.

DSCOVR also hosts NASA-funded secondary sensors for Earth and space science observations. The Earth science data will be processed at NASA’s DSCOVR Science Operations Center and archived and distributed by NASA’s Atmospheric Science Data Center.

For more information about DSCOVR, visit: http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/DSCOVR/

John Leslie
NOAA

Bron:http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/nation-s-first-operational-satellite-in-deep-space-reaches-final-orbit



 

M3.0 klasse zonnevlam

Attached is an updated video presentation capturing an M3.0 eruption and coronal mass ejection (CME) event on Thursday generated by big sunspot 2371. Although current tracking models differ, based on coronagraph imagery, the western edge of the full halo CME could deliver a glancing blow to our geomagnetic field by Sunday (June 21). Sky watchers at high latitudes should be alert for visual aurora displays should local weather and light conditions allow. More updates regarding this to follow when necessary.Region 2371, with a Beta-Gamma-Delta (BGD) magnetic structure, continues to move into a more geoeffective Earth facing position and will remain a threat for moderate to strong solar flares.

Attached video imagery courtesy of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and LASCO.



Bron:http://solarham.net/
 

In principe is er een topic over aurora's, maar ik wilde hier het resultaat laten zien van bovenstaande artikel.

SOLSTICE GEOMAGNETIC STORM:

A series of CMEs hit Earth's magnetic field on June 22nd, producing a severe G4-class geomagnetic storm. Northern Lights spilled across the Canadian border into more than a dozen US states, including places as far south as Colorado, Virginia, Arkansas and Kansas. Chris Cook sends this picture from Cape Cod, Massachusetts:

Photo  Chris Cook
The auroras did not disappoint this evening!" says Cook. "I captured this view in deep twilight, positioning myself on a beach overlooking Cape Cod Bay so I could capture the reflection in the water at low tide."

More auroras are in the offing as Earth's magnetic field reverberates from the CME strikes. NOAA forecasters estimate a 90% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on June 23rd, subsiding only a little to 70% on June 24th.
Bron: http://www.spaceweather.com/ | Gewijzigd: 1 februari 2017, 11:31 uur, door Joyce.s

ENORMOUS CORONAL HOLE

A gigantic hole in the sun's atmosphere has opened up and a broad stream of solar wind is flowing out of it. This is called a "coronal hole." It is the deep blue-colored region in this extreme UV image from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

Coronal holes are places in the sun's atmosphere where the magnetic field unfurls and allows solar wind to escape. In the image above, the sun's magnetic field is traced by white curving lines. Outside the coronal hole, those magnetic fields curve back on themselves, trapping solar wind inside their loops. Inside the coronal hole, no such trapping occurs. Solar wind plasma is free to fly away as indicated by the white arrows.

For much of the next week, Earth's environment in space will be dominated by winds flowing from this broad hole. This should activate some beautiful Arctic auroras. NOAA forecasters estimate a 65% of polar geomagnetic storms today as Earth moves deeper into the solar wind stream. 
Bron: http://www.spaceweather.com/

Geen krachtige, maar een urenlang durende zonnevlam

Magnetic fields around sunspot AR2434 erupted during the early hours of Oct. 22nd, producing a solar flare that lasted for hours. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory took this extreme UV picture of the eruption:

The peak X-ray intensity of the flare was relatively low; on the Richter Scale of Solar Flares it registered only C4. What the flare lacked in amplitude, however, it made up for in longevity. The hours-long blast was powerful and produced a bright CME:movie. The CME does not appear to be heading directly for Earth, but it might have an Earth-directed component. This is a preliminary conclusion based on limited data, so stay tuned for updates.
Bron: http://www.spaceweather.com/

Wij zijn nu al enkele dagen de noorderlichtkansen aan het bijhouden, maar in tussentijd gaat de zon ook door met haar activiteit:

M1.9 zonnevlam, niet aarde gericht:

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/c3/512/latest.jpg


http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/c2/512/latest.jpg


Zonnevlek 2445 produceerde de M1.9

http://www.solarham.net/pictures/regions2.jpg | Gewijzigd: 4 november 2015, 12:23 uur, door Joyce.s

Morgen wordt de impact van de cme verwacht, door de "eruptie" van zonnevlek AR2443 op 4 november. Er is 60% kans op een G1 geomagnetische storm.
to be continued....



Bijna een dag eerder dan verwacht is de cme gearriveerd in de vorm van een G2 klasse geomagnetische storm. Voor foto's van de aurora borealis, zie onze aurora galerij | Gewijzigd: 7 november 2015, 09:25 uur, door Joyce.s

Enorm coronaal gat op de zon ontstaan.

De zonnewind zal rond 6 december de aarde bereiken en enkele dagen aanhouden. Dus wellicht weer mooie beelden van aurora borealis. 

A vast hole in the sun's atmosphere--a "coronal hole"--has opened up in the sun's northern hemisphere, and it is spewing a broad stream of solar wind into space. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the coronal hole during the early hours of Dec. 3rd:

Coronal holes are places where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape. Hot plasma flows outward at speeds exceeding a million mph. In the extreme-ultraviolet image, above, the boundaries of the coronal hole are traced by dashed lines; arrows indicate the escape of hot plasma.

Solar wind flowing from this coronal hole will reach Earth beginning ~Dec. 6th, and our solar wind environment will be dominated the stream for days after first contact. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras
Bron:http://www.spaceweather.com/

2 cme's, mogelijk aarde gericht

Two coronal mass ejections to report today, both of which appear to have an Earth directed component. The first CME was the result of a C6.6 solar flare that I first reported on earlier this morning at 09:03 UTC (Dec 16). This CME appears to have faint full halo characteristics and could impact our planet by early this weekend. The second and somewhat brighter, full halo coronal mass ejection was the result of an eruptive event along a filament channel in the southeast quadrant beginning at 13:45 UTC. This too may impact our geomagnetic field by early this weekend. The combination of both events may trigger geomagnetic storming which could be great news for aurora sky watchers. More updates later this evening. Stay tuned to SolarHam.com for the most up to date information.
Storm Watch Added: The WSA-ENLIL Solar Wind Prediction model released by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has been updated to include a pair of coronal mass ejections observed on Wednesday. An impact to our geomagnetic field is forecast for late Friday night (UTC) and into early Saturday morning. A minor (G1) to moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm watch has been added for the next 48 hours. Sky watchers at higher latitudes should be alert for visual aurora displays this weekend.
Bron:http://solarham.net/

Update 20 december:

De cme is gearriveerd en produceert een G2 klasse storm:


.



Bron:http://solarham.net/


  | Gewijzigd: 21 december 2015, 09:39 uur, door Joyce.s

M4 klasse zonnevlam en radio blackout

In the past 24 hours, sunspot AR2473 has quadrupled in size. On Dec. 23rd (00:40 UT) it erupted, producing an M4-classsolar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash:

UV radiation from the flare bathed the top of Earth's atmosphere, ionizing atoms and molecules, and altering the normal propagation of radio transmissions. Around the South Pacific Ocean, where the sun was high in the sky, a full-fledged shortwave radio blackout occured. This map from NOAA shows the affected area:

The type of people who would notice such a blackout are ham radio operators, mariners, and some aviators who use shortwave radio in their work. The event lasted approximately half an hour.

More flares and blackouts are possible in the days ahead as AR2374 turns toward Earth. NOAA forecasters estimate a 45% chance of M-class explosions on Dec. 23-24. 
Bron:http://www.spaceweather.com/