The Weather Channel | - |
A huge X1.2-class solar
flare erupted from the sun late Tuesday (May 14, 2013), the fourth
major flare in two days from a busy sunspot on the surface of the sun.
Space Weather on Par With Tornado Threat, NASA Chief Says
Denise Chow, SPACE.com
Published: Jun 6, 2013, 4:00 PM EDT
From our partners
NASA/SDO
A huge X1.2-class solar flare erupted from the sun late Tuesday (May
14, 2013), the fourth major flare in two days from a busy sunspot on the
surface of the sun. NASA's Solar Dynamic Observatory captured this view
of the event.
Severe space weather could be as devastating to the planet as
serious tornadoes and other natural disasters, NASA chief Charles Bolden
said in a public address Tuesday (June 4).
Bolden spoke before scientists and industry members at the Space Weather
Enterprise Forum, which was held at the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Auditorium and Science Center in Silver
Spring, Md.
The daylong conference aimed to bring
together researchers and policymakers to identify how the sun's activity
impacts Earth, and the potentially harmful effects of space weather.
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Strong
solar storms can damage satellites in space and, if aimed at Earth, can
interfere with communications infrastructure and power grids on the
ground. Conference attendees discussed potential vulnerabilities in
existing infrastructure, and how they can be made more robust. Space
weather researchers also highlighted ongoing mitigation efforts,
including improvements in technology and modeling that may help predict
future storms. [Photos: Inside NASA's Space Weather Tracking Center]
Developing a clearer picture of when these storms may strike, and their potential impacts, is crucial, Bolden said.
"Given
the growing importance of space to our nation's economic well being and
security, it is of increasing importance that NASA and its partner
agencies continue to advance our nation's capability to understand and
predict space weather events," he explained.
The
radiation released by severe sun storms can also be risky for astronauts
living aboard the International Space Station. Understanding the way
humans in space are affected by space weather will help NASA plan future
manned missions to the moon, Mars or beyond, Bolden said.
Last week, a new study found that astronauts on a mission to Mars could be exposed to dangerous levels of radiation
from both solar particles and cosmic rays from outside the solar
system, even with shielding on the spacecraft. The research, which was
published in the journal Science, determined that on a trip to Mars,
spaceflyers would be subject to radiation doses between 100 and 1,000
times higher than on Earth.
"The findings will aid
design of future human missions by reducing uncertainty about how much
shielding from radiation astronauts need," Bolden said. "For these and
other reasons this forum and our efforts to study, monitor, and mitigate
radiation exposure are so very important."
The NASA administrator also spoke about the need for international cooperation in studying the effects of space weather.
"Space weather is a problem that crosses all borders and demands input from our international counterparts," Bolden said.
Next
week, Bolden is scheduled to speak at the 56th session of the United
Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vienna,
Austria. This year, for the first time, the UN committee has added space
weather as a topic for discussion, recognizing it to be as serious a
threat as space junk and near-Earth asteroids, Bolden said.
"With
the United Nations now on our team, we are assured of even greater
global coordination in the effort to increase our understanding of space
weather and its impact on Earth and throughout the solar system," he
added. "We have shown how, working as a team, we can save lives when
hurricanes and tornadoes strike here on Earth. I am confident we can be
just as effective working together to protect our people, our critical
infrastructures, and our planet from the dangers of space weather."
- Photos: Most Powerful Storms of the Solar System
- The Sun's Wrath: Worst Solar Storms in History
- Anatomy of Sun Storms & Solar Flares (Infographic)
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