NASA: Intro to Space Weather Vocabulary (VIDEO)
Caption
Heliophysics research studies how energy and material from the sun affects Earth and the entire solar system. It’s a complex system that begins on the sun when events on the sun, such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections, travel out into space. These cause electromagnetic effects that drive space weather close to Earth -- from aurora to radio blackouts to changes in the radiation belts surrounding Earth. Scientists study the minutiae of how energy transfers from one event to the other and which electromagnetic waves create which conditions near Earth. Since space weather effects can disrupt satellites in space, scientists need to understand the system in even more detail. Watch the video to see how events on the sun affect Earth. Suitable for all ages, this intro to space weather covers vocabulary like coronal mass ejection, solar wind, and solar flare. It also outlines potential effects of solar storms on our planet.
Credit
NASA
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