Japan launches Sun 'microscope'

[pgp_protector]

Cool time for more learning about how stuff works out there

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5371162.stm

 

[Locrian]

It's interesting to me how much time the article spends repeating itself about how important the study of solar flares are. It seems to me that even if we knew one was coming a short time in advance (and there is no doubt in my mind we can't know when one is coming a long time in advance) there would be little or nothing to be done about it.

It seems to me that the fact the sun is instrumental to all life on earth is good enough reason to study it. The reporter seemingly needed something more.

Thanks for the link.

 

[pgp_protector]

Well the one thing we Can do if we know about large flares is power down satalites / move them to lower orbets where there more protected by our magnosphear.

 

[Locrian]

Can we really? It seemed to me most sattelites had fixed orbits. It seems to me it would cost more to build them so you can drive them in and out of different orbital radii than it would to just launch another. But then I don't know much about them.

 

[Michael]

It's interesting to me how much time the article spends repeating itself about how important the study of solar flares are. It seems to me that even if we knew one was coming a short time in advance (and there is no doubt in my mind we can't know when one is coming a long time in advance) there would be little or nothing to be done about it.

It seems to me that the fact the sun is instrumental to all life on earth is good enough reason to study it. The reporter seemingly needed something more.

Thanks for the link.

Actually, many of the satellites in space have a "safe" model that can be activated reasonably quickly provided that there is "some" advance notice of a CME. I doubt they will start shutting down power grids on earth based on advanced notice of a CME, but I do think they'd like to put the satellite gear into safe mode if they have the time. Unfortunately, some CME's reach the earth in a matter of minutes, and travel a significant percentage of the speed of light.

 

[mikenet2006]

Thats cool
I say, more power to em, the more we learn today the more prepared we will be in the future for things such as solar storms. When we start going back to the moon and to Mars predicting solar activity could be the difference between life and death in a solar storm.

I hear under the right conditions a C.M.E. can knock power out across the globe for years unless we shut off as much as possible before it occurs.

I dont see that happening given the politics involved. In the eyes of many, with only hours or minutes to decide, shutting off power to a state or even a country could backfire politically if predictions are wrong. Some solar storms can actually be huge but do nothing but light up the sky from what I remember so its hard to say what they would do. Id shut down power plants across the country myself.

Interesting subject.