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Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
18
SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS: A SCIENCE FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
And data analysis, theory, and modeling programs for both NASA and NSF can make great strides even
more quickly on timescales as short as 1 to 3 years.
Currently, the globally connected Sun-Earth system is studied by a multi-element system of solar and
space physics observatories—the Heliophysics Systems Observatory (HSO; see Figure 1.2)—that are supported by NASA and NSF. Augmented by a constellation of missions operated by NOAA and DOD and by
the implementation of the components recommended in this report, the system has remarkable potential
to support simultaneous observing from distributed, strategically chosen vantage points. However, despite
its evident strengths, much of the HSO’s collective capabilities are somewhat fragile due to the aging of
the current satellite fleet and ground-based facilities. Long-term, continuous observations of key parts of
BOX 1.1 SEVERE SPACE WEATHER EVENTS—UNDERSTANDING SOCIETAL AND ECONOMIC
IMPACTS
The societal impact of space weather was dramatically demonstrated approximately a century before
the launch of Explorer 1 when awe-inspiring auroral displays were seen over nearly the entire world on the
night of August 28-29, 1859. In New York City, thousands watched “the heavens . . . arrayed in a drapery more
gorgeous than they have been for years.” The aurora witnessed that Sunday night, the New York Times told its
readers, “ will be referred to hereafter among the events which occur but once or twice in a lifetime.” 1 Even
more spectacular displays occurred on September 2, 1859. For residents of Havana, Cuba, the sky that night
“appeared stained with blood and in a state of general conflagration.” 2 Earth had experienced a one-two
punch from the Sun, the likes of which have not been recorded since. From August 28 through September 4,
1859, auroral displays of remarkable brilliance, color, and duration were observed around the world, as far south
as Central America in the Northern Hemisphere and as far north as Santiago, Chile, in the Southern Hemisphere.
Even after daybreak, when the auroras were no longer visible, disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field were
so powerful that ground-level magnetic field monitoring sensors were driven off scale. Telegraph networks in
many locations experienced major disruptions and outages. In several regions, operators disconnected their
systems from the batteries and sent messages using only the current induced by the aurora. In fact, telegraphs
were completely unusable for nearly 8 hours in most places around the world.
Humanity was just beginning to develop a dependence on high-tech systems in 1859. The telegraph was
the technological wonder of its day. There were no high-power electrical lines crisscrossing the continents or
sensitive satellites orbiting Earth, both of which are vulnerable to events of the sort that disrupted telegraph
systems in the 19th century. There certainly was not yet a dependence on instantaneous communication and
satellite remote imaging of Earth’s surface. Now, in the early part of the 21st century, as the Sun is ramping up
its activity in solar cycle 24, decision makers are asking: Has there been adequate preparation for severe space
weather events, and what might be the consequences of worst-case events like that of the storm of 1859? 3
To evaluate the nation’s capabilities for forecasting and monitoring storms in space and for coping with
their effects on Earth, the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council invited representatives of industry, academia, and the government to participate in a workshop in 2008 on the impacts of severe space weather
on society and the economy. The workshop participants explored a number of issues, including the following: 4
• The electric power, spacecraft, aviation, and Global Positioning System (GPS)-based industries are the
main industries whose operations can be adversely affected by severe space weather. With increasing aware-
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
18
SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS: A SCIENCE FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
And data analysis, theory, and modeling programs for both NASA and NSF can make great strides even
more quickly on timescales as short as 1 to 3 years.
Currently, the globally connected Sun-Earth system is studied by a multi-element system of solar and
space physics observatories—the Heliophysics Systems Observatory (HSO; see Figure 1.2)—that are supported by NASA and NSF. Augmented by a constellation of missions operated by NOAA and DOD and by
the implementation of the components recommended in this report, the system has remarkable potential
to support simultaneous observing from distributed, strategically chosen vantage points. However, despite
its evident strengths, much of the HSO’s collective capabilities are somewhat fragile due to the aging of
the current satellite fleet and ground-based facilities. Long-term, continuous observations of key parts of
BOX 1.1 SEVERE SPACE WEATHER EVENTS—UNDERSTANDING SOCIETAL AND ECONOMIC
IMPACTS
The societal impact of space weather was dramatically demonstrated approximately a century before
the launch of Explorer 1 when awe-inspiring auroral displays were seen over nearly the entire world on the
night of August 28-29, 1859. In New York City, thousands watched “the heavens . . . arrayed in a drapery more
gorgeous than they have been for years.” The aurora witnessed that Sunday night, the New York Times told its
readers, “ will be referred to hereafter among the events which occur but once or twice in a lifetime.” 1 Even
more spectacular displays occurred on September 2, 1859. For residents of Havana, Cuba, the sky that night
“appeared stained with blood and in a state of general conflagration.” 2 Earth had experienced a one-two
punch from the Sun, the likes of which have not been recorded since. From August 28 through September 4,
1859, auroral displays of remarkable brilliance, color, and duration were observed around the world, as far south
as Central America in the Northern Hemisphere and as far north as Santiago, Chile, in the Southern Hemisphere.
Even after daybreak, when the auroras were no longer visible, disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field were
so powerful that ground-level magnetic field monitoring sensors were driven off scale. Telegraph networks in
many locations experienced major disruptions and outages. In several regions, operators disconnected their
systems from the batteries and sent messages using only the current induced by the aurora. In fact, telegraphs
were completely unusable for nearly 8 hours in most places around the world.
Humanity was just beginning to develop a dependence on high-tech systems in 1859. The telegraph was
the technological wonder of its day. There were no high-power electrical lines crisscrossing the continents or
sensitive satellites orbiting Earth, both of which are vulnerable to events of the sort that disrupted telegraph
systems in the 19th century. There certainly was not yet a dependence on instantaneous communication and
satellite remote imaging of Earth’s surface. Now, in the early part of the 21st century, as the Sun is ramping up
its activity in solar cycle 24, decision makers are asking: Has there been adequate preparation for severe space
weather events, and what might be the consequences of worst-case events like that of the storm of 1859? 3
To evaluate the nation’s capabilities for forecasting and monitoring storms in space and for coping with
their effects on Earth, the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council invited representatives of industry, academia, and the government to participate in a workshop in 2008 on the impacts of severe space weather
on society and the economy. The workshop participants explored a number of issues, including the following: 4
• The electric power, spacecraft, aviation, and Global Positioning System (GPS)-based industries are the
main industries whose operations can be adversely affected by severe space weather. With increasing aware-