Space Weather: How space affects our day-to-day life

Wed 31 October, 2018 @12:00 PM, level 7
Dr. Julie Currie RMIT

Email:  julie.currie[at]rmit.edu.au

Abstract

The field of Solar-Terrestrial Physics is concerned with the interaction between our Sun, the interplanetary medium and Earth. The solar wind is a constant outflux of material from the Sun which interacts with Earth’s magnetic field driving a dynamic system in the near-Earth space. As the world becomes heavily reliant on new technologies the effect of space weather is increasing rapidly. This talk focuses on the dynamics of the near-Earth space and how these dynamics cause problems with our technological assets such as power grids, satellite communications and surveillance technologies. One example of disruption to satellite communications is Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPB) which occur in the post-sunset ionosphere. The talk will conclude with some details regarding the current forecasting capabilities and the on going efforts in understanding these plasma irregularities.