University of Saskatchewan researcher Lindsay Goodwin has developed a new way to measure the impact of solar activity on the ionosphere as indicated by northern lights and geomagnetic storms. The ionosphere is the upper part of the atmosphere.
University of Saskatchewan researcher Lindsay Goodwin has developed a new way to measure the impact of solar activity on the ionosphere as indicated by northern lights and geomagnetic storms. The ionosphere is the upper part of the atmosphere.
Scientists could use her new database of nearly 300 simulations of electric fields to forecast more efficiently and accurately the occurrence of northern lights and the effects of geomagnetic storms.
“My research could help ensure that all the communication services we rely on in our everyday lives keep working properly,” said Goodwin, who is a recent U of S PhD graduate in physics.
Her new method will help scientists predict, and possibly prevent, the negative effects of space weather on the International Space Station and on communication systems, such as those used by airplanes flying over the polar regions. If damaged, the networks of Global Positioning Systems and communication satellites that sustain banking transactions, TV signals, and the Internet could be heavily disrupted.
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Image via University of Saskatchewan.
