From: Bruce Sterling [bruces@well.com]
Sent: Friday, April 07, 2000 12:32 PM
To: Viridian List
Subject: Viridian Note 00145: Space Weather

Key concepts: solar flares, geomagnetic storm, NOAA
alerts, weather in outer space

Attention Conservation Notice: Of dubious relevance. Makes the Invisible Visible.

(((A mere umbrella won't protect you from this kind of "meteor"-ology, but it's pleasant to imagine a world where space-borne sensors and the Net make this sort of thing a useful aspect of our general environmental awareness. If we were to "aestheticize all sensors," we could have a lovely real-time graphic treatment of this vast storm enfolding the Earth.)))

Source:
http://sec.noaa.gov/advisories/200004061951_advisory.html

"SEC Space Weather Advisory

"Official Space Weather Advisory issued by NOAA Space Environment Center Boulder, Colorado, USA

"SPACE WEATHER BULLETIN #00- 2
2000 April 06 at 02:50 p.m. MDT (2000 April 06 2050 UT)

"**** GEOMAGNETIC STORM BEGINNING ****

"The ACE spacecraft, located approximately one million miles towards the Sun, detected a fast-moving ejection in the solar wind at approximately 10:00 AM MDT today (1600 UT on April 6). This structure is believed to have been launched from the Sun late on April 4. The Earth's magnetic field responded shortly thereafter, and major storm conditions are now occurring at all latitudes.

"It is expected that this storm will continue for the next 24-36 hours. Significant impacts on terrestrial systems include some electrical power systems, spacecraft operations, and communications and navigation systems.

"In terms of the New NOAA Space Weather Scales, this storm may reach category G3 (strong) level.


"Data used to provide space weather services are contributed by NOAA, USAF, NASA, NSF, USGS, the International Space Environment Services and
other observatories, universities, and institutions.

"More information is available at SEC's Web site http://sec.noaa.gov or (303) 497-5127. The NOAA Public Affairs contact is Barbara McGehan at
Barbara.McGehan@noaa.gov or (303) 497-6288."

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HOORAY, WE DON'T HAVE TO BLAME THIS ON CARBON DIOXIDE
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