The new NASA mission will make it easy to predict space weather
We are in the solar storm season. This is because 2025 is the peak of the 11 -year activity cycle. Electrically charged molecules fly from a star at the time to the Earth’s magnet, where a strong magnetic field surrounds our planet. From there, many things can occur – Ura, and even electric pants in satellites or power lines.
How to transfer this strong solar energy to Earth? A new series of NASA satellite is called Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE) aims to fill the gap. The three-month satellites of EZIE will spend at least 18 months to rotate our planet and see how “space weather” works near our planet-and how can it affect our infrastructure.
“Industrial satellites, energy lines, this type of things can be affected by” solar storms “. This is because the power stream of the solar wind that flows through our atmosphere creates plasma through the insignificance and heat through the resistance.” We call it space weather when the current becomes stronger stronger Sudden. “
Strong currents caused by disturbances before. In 1989, solar storms The abbreviation of power for six million people In Quebec. Odeh to Odeh, an enormous storm 1859 known as the Carrington event Set the registration bar In Telegraph stations. Scientists have warned that in the event of another Carrington, we will be more likely to be at risk today given the amount of our electric network’s life.
“If we put a multiple spacecraft that fly over that area at the same time, we can see this structure, [and] How the structure changes over time. “
Ezie will zero on Earth Electrojets on Earth – which electrical currents flow near the magnetic poles of our planet. On the edge of space, about 65 miles or 100 km above our planet, this electricity carries currents up to one million amps of electricity.
“You often see this on the night side of the earth – a big explosion of activity,” said Ian Man, a physicist at Alberta University who does not participate in the mission. This activity results in “large dance shows of the northern lights and large electric currents, and this can happen very quickly. If this happens quickly, this means that magnetic fields change quickly.”
Magnetic fields can be measured by The effect of Ziman From radiation emissions of atoms and molecules. These emissions can be divided into several components in the presence of a magnetic field, resulting from the interaction between the internal magnetic moments of the atoms and molecules emitted with the external magnetic field. We can see these divisions in the light spectrum emitted from these atoms and molecules.
The three satellites EZIE. (NASA/Jones Hopkins APL/Steve Gharib)
EZIE aims to use a trio of satellite to determine the effects of Zeman from the molecular oxygen emissions line. The magnetic fields caused by the presence of the electrical current in the upper atmosphere will measure in different locations, especially during satellite weather events. In other words, EZIE will create a “current map” – a map of the current structure – in the field of satellite vision. More importantly: “If we put a multiple spacecraft that fly over that area at the same time, we can see this structure, [and] How the structure changes over time. “
Although we can conclude the currents from the Earth, the distance is far from the ground where the currents flow means that drawing the maps of its detailed structure in this way is difficult. Alberta University, for example, runs and runs the magnetic scale network. This abbreviation is symbolized by the Canadian Magnetic Investigations Magnetic Activity, which is part of a multi -university project called Space Environment Canada, funded by the Canadian Space Agency, with additional support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
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The vast Carisma Magnetometer collection extends thousands of miles from northern Canada to near the United States borders, and from east to the west, and a large area of West Canada extends. Man said that although this coverage of sensors that measure the magnetic field, “the diagnosis of the detailed accurate structure is a nightmare”, because the magnetic effects of the smaller structures can cancel a magnetic on the ground.
These features can then reduce the accuracy of the network, which means that they will distort the data. From the top, “you usually have a transverse satellite through which it is flying.” Man said the ideal is that “you have a huge network of satellites, all of which fly at the same time, and by drawing its magnetic field maps locally, it can tell you a constellation of satellites about something about what is already happening” with the development of satellite storms.
Besides EZIE, he said that the community was lucky to get some information from the experiences of the IRIDIUM satellite network. However, Ampre’s resolution (active magnetic response experience and electric planets) is much lower.
“The decision in place and time is still determined by the time that passes through the spacecraft,” said Man. “The satellites are located in the amp constellation about 10 minutes along their orbits, and a lot can happen in 10 minutes.”
During Ezie’s displacement from Electrojets, the three EZE satellites will assess spatial and temporal development of magnetic fields – which are electrical signatures. Thus, EZIE data will help scientists a better understanding of how satellite storms develop, and how Sothey negatively affects technological infrastructure on Earth and in space.
Solar storms create beautiful shows when Aurora is born, but the risks are more dangerous when they affect energy or satellite networks. Ezie aims to better help us understand the flow of currents and protect our infrastructure. In this way, we can enjoy the beautiful northern lights – and the comfort is easy to know that the lights will continue when we get back.