Space Weather

Question 1

Explain how spacecraft operations are effecting our life

Answer 1

• communications
• weather forecast
• earth observation
• navigation
• scientific studies
• military

Question 2

Explain concept of spaceweather

Answer 2

Space weather deals with parameters of the geospace that are affecting the operation of space based and ground base technological systems.
They can also affect the health of an individual (passengers on flights)
Space weather can be expressed by these parameters:
- geomagnetic indices
- fluxes of energetic particles
(solar flares are an example)

Question 3

Give hazardous effects of geomagnetic storms on ground based and space based technological systems

Answer 3

• storms related to geomagnetically induced currents that can damage power grids and cause operation problems for pipelines can communication cables
• The TEC (Total electron count) effects the radio wave transmission through the ionosphere. Some radio frequencies will be reflected and therefore cause signal disruption or even failure
• increased atmospheric drag and problems with satellite tracking

Question 4

What is TEC

Answer 4

total electron count

the amount of electrons between a radio transmitter and receiver

Question 5

Give hazardous effects of space weather on spacecraft whose orbits traverse the radiation belt

Answer 5

• deep dielectric charging and surface charging
  deep dielectric:
• high energy electron that cause internal charging

surface charging:
- low energy electrons that cause surface charging

• also space weather can cause damage to solar panels

Question 6

How to find prediction efficiency

Answer 6

• calculate mean for actual results
• calculate variance:
  sum((actual(i) - mean(i))^2) / n-1
• calculate S:
  sum( (forecast(i)-actual(i)^2) )
• efficiency=
  1 - S/nV