Space weather describes dynamic conditions in space, primarily influenced by the Sun, impacting Earth and its technological systems. Solar flares and coronal...
Space weather refers to dynamic conditions in space, primarily driven by solar activity, that can impact Earth and its technological systems, including communications and power grids.
The primary causes are solar flares (intense bursts of radiation), coronal mass ejections (large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun), and high-speed solar wind streams.
It can induce geomagnetic storms that disrupt power grids, satellite communications, GPS signals, aviation, and expose astronauts to radiation. It also produces the visible aurora.
Scientists use a global network of ground and space-based sensors to monitor the Sun and forecast space weather events, though precise timing and intensity of events remain challenging to predict.