SWERV: Introduction to Space Weather

STS039-342-026 (28 April-6 May 1991) — This view of the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, shows a band of airglow above the limb of Earth. Photo experts at NASA studying the mission photography identify the airglow as being in the 80-120 kilometer altitude region and attribute its existence to atomic oxygen (wavelength of 5,577 Angstroms), although other atoms can also contribute. The atomic oxygen airglow is usually most intense at altitudes around 65 degrees north and south latitude, and is most intense in the spring and fall of the year. The aurora phenomena is due to atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen being excited by the particles from the Van Allen Radiation belts which extend between the two geomagnetic poles. The red and green rays appear to extend upward to 200-300 kilometers, much higher than the usual upper limits of about 110 kilometers.

Material Type	Presentation/Lecture
Math Skills	Data Analysis
Heliophysics Big Ideas	Big Idea 1.2 – The Sun is active… Big Idea 2.2 – The Sun defines the space… Big Idea 3.1 – The Sun is made of churning plasma… Big Idea 3.3 - Our Sun, like all stars, has a life cycle.
Heliophysics Topics	Aurora Coronal Mass Ejection Van Allen Belts Sun Space Weather Solar Flare Technology Magnetotail Magnetosphere Magnetic Reconnection Magnetic Field Plasma Geomagnetic Storm Electromagnetism Geomagnetic Field Solar Cycle Heliosphere
Heliophysics Missions	ACE Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
Material Cost per Learner	Free
Language	English

NASA Space Weather Event Response & Vulnerability Introduction to Space Weather

Imagine that you are an American farmer on May 10^th, 2024...

The skies are clear, and you are preparing to plant your crops using a GPS operated planter. You suddenly notice that your GPS system is not working properly for all your machines, and you do not have the ability to plant your crops properly without them. You can no longer work today. But it’s a beautiful day…why is this happening?
This was the reality for farmers across America on May 10^th, 2024, and it resulted in an estimated $500 million loss. What was the cause? Space weather.

A geomagnetic storm knocked out the GPS guidance systems on American farming equipment in May 2024. Even more severe impacts were possible, but the knowledge or space weather events and impacts allowed industries to employ mitigation tactics to protect valuable infrastructure and assets.

This comprehensive presentation provides a broad overview of space weather, beginning with the above historical disaster to set the stage for understanding future impact. Educators and professionals may use this tool to explore the Sun's activity, the plasma it's composed of, and its life cycle, as well as how understanding these phenomena help other professionals define routes for mitigation. This resource was produced by M2M-SWAO and Melissa Kane.

Users can apply this resource by following the structured slide deck to deliver an engaging lecture or to support professional learning on solar cycles, magnetic fields, and space weather events.

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