Severe Space Weather Events Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report (2008) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
5 User Perspectives on Space Weather Products
5 User Perspectives on Space Weather Products
Pages 50-68
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 50... ...
Because of the varying histories of their use of space weather data, the panelists differed in their ability to respond to all of these questions. AIRLINE INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE Michael Stills described how in 1999 United Airlines began using routes over the North Pole to fly from Chicago to Hong Kong, with 12 demonstration flights.
|
From page 51... ...
, they increase the density of ionized gas, which in turn affects the ability of radio waves to propagate.1 HF radio frequencies in the polar regions are particularly affected because the solar protons can directly reach the ionosphere in the polar cusp of Earth's magnetic field. The radio blackouts over the poles are called polar cap absorption (PCA)
|
From page 52... ...
SOURCE: Michael Stills, United Airlines, "Polar Operations and Space Weather," presentation to the space weather5.1 Stills.eps 22, 2008. workshop, May bitmap w vector rules & type and planning standpoint, we are probably looking at a minimum of, say, 3 to 4 hours in advance, where we can make a tactical decision and still feel confident in the operation." ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE A geomagnetic storm that occurred in 1989 caused a blackout in the Quebec province of Canada (Figure 5.4)
|
From page 53... ...
Navigation: Low-frequency navigation signals degraded for brief intervals. 5.2 Radio Blackouts.eps FIGURE 5.2 Radio blackout severity scales from NOAA SWPC are used by United Airlines to re-route aircraft on polar routes in response to expected radio communication blackouts.
|
From page 54... ...
5.3 Space Weather Message.eps Electric Power Geomagnetic Storm Effects Transformer March 1989 Hydro Quebec Loses Electric Power for 9 Hours Transformer Damage FIGURE 5.4 A 1989 geomagnetic storm caused a blackout in the Quebec region and damaged a high-voltage transformer. 5.4 SW_Intro_Viereck.eps SOURCE: Rodney Viereck, NOAA Space Environment Center, "Space Weather: What Is It?
|
From page 55... ...
When it impacted Earth's magnetic field, this CME triggered powerful geomagnetic storms that caused problems for the electric grid in Northern Europe, polar cap absorption events, and in-orbit satellite anomalies and failures. SOURCE: NASA; see http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/hotshots/2003_10_28/.
|
From page 56... ...
A general feature of geomagnetic storms is that their timing and intensity are a local phenomenon, and the best real-time data come from geomagnetic field monitoring equipment located closest to the end user of the data. As a result, system operators at higher latitudes utilize higher-latitude sources of magnetic disturbance data in addition to the NOAA SWPC and combine those data with real-time ground-current monitoring throughout their grid.
|
From page 57... ...
• ISO re-dispatching New England area generation to cover load demand • 02:23 hrs - SEC reports – Alert: Geomagnetic K index 7 or greater expected • 02:49 hrs - SEC reports – Alert: Geomagnetic K index 7 • 03:45 hrs - SEC reports – Alert: Geomagnetic K index 8 • 03:55 hrs - Maine, SVC reports Level 4 ground-induced-current alarms • 04:41 hrs - SEC reports Alert: Geomagnetic K index of 9 • 07:28 hrs - SEC reports Alert: Geomagnetic K index of 7 • 9:26 hrs - Maine, SVC reports Level 3 ground-induced-current alarms locked with chattering, 0 Level 4-induced current alarm spikes • 9:54 hrs - Vermont HVDC imports from Quebec being reduced to below 185 MW due to increased 0 SMD activity • 09:58 hrs - Maine, SVC reports Level 4 ground-induced-current alarms • 0:07 hrs - Ontario – reports voltage and MW swings observed at the Bruce Nuclear Units on Lake 1 Huron and Pembrooke region • 10:07 hrs - Ontario – reports Mountain Chute Unit #2 tripped (Pembrooke region) • 10:07 hrs - Ontario – reports Bruce Nuclear Units reducing VAR output to stabilize • 10:14 hrs - Maine, SVC reports Level 2 ground-induced-current alarms
|
From page 58... ...
As an example, OmniSTAR provides differential GPS corrections to users that buy their own GPS receivers. As Lee Ott noted, "Our strategy is to give enough information to the user so that the user at his current location can make the appropriate decision about whether or not his positioning is accurate.
|
From page 59... ...
rules and type GPS," presentation to the space weather bitmaps with vector FIGURE 5.7 Ionosphere-induced GPS errors. Ionospheric range delay results from normal signal propagation through the ionosphere.
|
From page 60... ...
3 services to GPS in the future, which will further improve the reliability of the error estimates. An accurate forecast of imminent GPS outages and an accurate look ahead to when it will be safe to resume operation are essential because many GPS users need time to suspend operations and then to recover and resume operations.
|
From page 61... ...
. SOURCE: David Chenette, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, "Aerospace Industry 5.9 Chenette.eps User Perspectives on Space Weather Data Products (and Models)
|
From page 62... ...
It is absolutely essential that you understand the environment into which it 100 Protons: 75 - 95 MeV Interplanetary Monitoring Platform-8 The University of Chicago 10 Proton Flux Intensity 1 0.1 0.01 0.001 0.0001 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 5.10 Chenette.eps FIGURE 5.10 High-energy proton environment shows dramatic short-term spikes and slow background variability. SOURCE: David Chenette, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, "Aerospace Industry User Perspectives on Space Weather Data Products (and Models)
|
From page 63... ...
If the environment is disturbed, the thruster operation is postponed, reducing the risk to the satellite and its customers. Making this operational judgment call requires that current weather data, such as the GOES 6 energetic electron data (Figure 5.12)
|
From page 64... ...
SOURCE: David Chenette, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, "Aerospace Industry User Perspectives on Space Weather Data Products (and Models) ," presentation to the Space weather workshop, May 22, 2008.
|
From page 65... ...
To fulfill that responsibility requires that the USAF maintain space situational awareness. That awareness includes monitoring the space environment.
|
From page 66... ...
Increased atmospheric drag resulting from geomagnetic storms affects orbits of satellites and orbital debris. The Air Force Space Command has to update models of the orbits of debris with the latest sensor data in order to forecast potential collisions with satellites and the International Space Station (ISS)
|
From page 67... ...
. Some rudimentary forecasting and alerts have been established and are utilized by industry to prevent imminent problems (e.g., power grid operators use ACE satellite data to secure the grid against an imminent geomagnetic storm)
|
From page 68... ...
of geomagnetic storms that can overload power grids, disrupt communications on Earth, and present a hazard to astronauts. see http://www.srl.caltech.edu/ACE/ace_mission.html)
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.