Transcript Customer Demand for Space Weather Products in US

Global Space Weather Coordination:
Perspectives and Activities
Dr. Jack Hayes, U.S. Permanent Representative to the WMO,
Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and Director, National
Weather Service
Outline
• Our Increasing Vulnerability to Space
Weather
• The Need for Global Coordination
• Global Space Weather Hazards
• Available Training and Services
• The Role of the WMO
Increasing Vulnerabilities to Space Weather
– HF communication – wireless technology
– Electric power grids
– Satellite-based applications:
– GEO NetCast
– Meteorology observations
– Navigation and communication
– Airline safety:
– Navigation and communication
– Radiation
Addressing Space Weather through
International Cooperation
• Operating in space is now an integral component of our economic
and security infrastructures
• The impacts are global, affecting all regions
• Detecting and predicting space weather threats is a complex
challenge – impossible for one nation or agency to address alone
Space Weather is Driven by Atmospheric Disturbances
from Below and Solar Disturbances from Above
• Coordinated ground-based and space-based data and
modeling are required over the Sun-Earth system
• WMO has an opportunity to coordinate action to address
a growing environmental vulnerability.
Space Weather Impacts are Global
Reported impacts from a storm in October, 2003
Polar flights
rerouted
Failures of GPS
based positioning
NOTAM
Airline communication
impacts
Japan’s Data Relay Test
Satellite safe mode
Nuclear power
plants reduced
power
SatComm and HF
outages
Widespread HF outage
over African continent
Oilfield services instrument
Interference
Transformer
damage
Over 130 hours of HF communication blackout in Anarctic
SatComm and HF
outages
Strong Customer Growth is Occurring During
Quiet Solar Conditions
Customer Demand for
Space Weather Products in U.S.
Examples of global airline customers:
Air Canada
Air China
Air New Zealand
American Airlines
British Airways
Cathay Pacific Airway
Korean Air
Lufthansa
Quantas Airways
United Airlines
Global Products are Available for HF Radio
Communication
2011 March 7 20 UTC
X-Ray Flares create HF radio
communication outages over the
daylight region
Energetic Particles create HF Radio
communication outages and
increased radiation at high latitudes
HF Communication is critical for:
- Commercial Airlines
- Humanitarian Operations
- Numerous other applications
2011 March 8 10:48 UTC
Ionospheric Disturbances Occur at All
Latitudes
Ionospheric disturbances create Global Navigation Satellite
System (GNSS) position errors and loss of signal.
Disturbances can last from hours to days.
Scintillation Occurrence
Frequency
Frequent
Infrequent
Kintner et al., 2009
Highest occurrence frequency is at low and high latitudes.
During large storms, disturbances extend into mid latitudes.
Global Navigation Satellite Service (GNSS)
Applications are Growing Rapidly
Expanding GNSS Applications
-
Airline navigation systems
Agriculture
Mining operations
Deep-sea drilling
Surveying
Construction
GNSS will continue to increase in
importance to all Members
New Initiative Within the U.S.
National Space Weather Program
Integrated Space Weather Science and Service Program
- Coordinate interagency activities
- Develop the needed science
- Integrate new capabilities into operations
- Jump start near-term efforts to prepare
for Solar Maximum
- Establish the partnerships for long-term
improvements
Educational Resources for Space Weather
http://www.meted.ucar.edu
- Background information on space
weather and its impacts is available
- Additional training resources are
planned for development
- All Members can utilize this free
information online
- All Members can obtain services from
existing service providers, such as
www.spaceweather.gov and
www.ises-spaceweather.org
Online Space Weather Module
The WMO’s Role
- Partner with International Space
Environment Service and other relevant
entities to optimize capabilities
- Solicit WMO Members who can contribute
data products and expertise
- Coordinate training and services within
WMO to benefit all Members
- Develop strategy and roadmap to grow
capabilities needed to address space
weather vulnerabilities proactively
THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF WMO
IN SPACE WEATHER
A REPORT ON THE POTENTIAL SCOPE, COST AND
BENEFIT OF A WMO ACTIVITY IN SUPPORT OF
INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION OF SPACE WEATHER
SERVICES, PREPARED FOR THE SIXTIETH EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL
April 2008