Space Weather Living History: Dr. Donald Fairfield
| Levels |
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| Material Type |
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| Heliophysics Big Ideas |
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| NGSS |
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| Heliophysics Topics |
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| Material Cost per Learner | Free |
| Language | English |
Show | Grades 6-12+ | In this interview, Dr. Don Fairfield recounts his pioneering career in magnetospheric physics, beginning in the early 1960s. Working under his advisor Dr. James Dungey, Fairfield used early satellite data to prove that the southward interplanetary magnetic field drives magnetospheric currents. After joining NASA Goddard, he utilized IMP spacecraft data to make several foundational discoveries in space weather. His key contributions include mapping the Earth's magnetopause and bow shock, discovering the "foreshock" region, and co-creating the first quantitative model of the Earth's distorted magnetic field. He also helped explain the "polar rain" phenomenon and how solar wind interacts with the magnetosphere.
Credit: NASA