Space Weather
Space weather describes the changing conditions on the Sun, interplanetary, and near-Earth space that can impact human life and technology. It is becoming more relevant since modern society is increasingly dependent on technology that is susceptible to space weather. Examples of effects due to space weather are errors in GPS positioning, radio disruptions, auroral emissions, increased pipeline corrosion, higher radiation to astronauts and passengers on polar flights, and disruptions to national power grids. These effects are summarised in the diagram below.
Illustration of space weather effects on Earth and human technology, from solar flares and CMEs to radiation impacts on spacecraft, aviation, and power grids. Image: ESA/Science Office under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO or ESA Standard Licence.
IRF Uppsala is active in space weather research and focuses on fundamental physical understanding. Our primary research topics are the dynamics of interplanetary coronal mass ejections, ionospheric physics, magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, and geomagnetically induced currents. Our research relies on space-based (MMS, Swarm, Cluster, Solar Orbiter) and ground-based (e.g., magnetometers, all-sky images) observations and global magnetospheric models.
Sweden is especially susceptible to geomagnetically induced currents. Since it is situated at high latitudes, it experiences strong auroral electrojet currents that cause large amplitude and rapid fluctuations of the geomagnetic field measured at ground level. As the ground is conductive, this creates a so-called geoelectric field, allowing unwanted quasi-DC currents to enter the power grid, leading to decreased network reliability and sometimes more significant disruptions.
Team at IRF: Andrew Dimmock, Emiliya Yordanova