Transcript of A proposal for collaboration (not a request for funds) Deborah Scherrer, Stanford University The...
- Slide 1
- A proposal for collaboration (not a request for funds) Deborah
Scherrer, Stanford University The International Heliophysical Year,
2007 United NationsIHY 2007
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- 2 Quick Overview of Presentation What is the IHY? What is the
particular project? What could the IEEE-CS do? How do the project
instruments work? Why CS might want to be involved
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- 3 What is the IHY? In celebration of the 50 th Anniversary of
the IGY International Geophysical Year of 1957 The United Nations
has designated 2007 as the International Heliophysical Year Goals:
Continue a tradition of international collaboration on the 50 th
anniversary of the IGY 1957 Demonstrate the beauty, relevance, and
significance of space and Earth science to the world Inspire our
future explorers Advance our understanding of the heliophysical
processes that govern the Suns influence on Earth and the
heliosphere
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- 4 Whats Going On? Stanford, in collaboration with teachers, NSF
and NASA partners, has developed inexpensive Space Weather Monitors
targeted for use in high schools and the equivalent around the
world
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- 5 The IHY, UN, and Stanford The United Nations and organizers
of the IHY have designated these as official IHY instruments, to be
placed in 191 countries around the world. There is a significant
software and computer aspect to this project
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- 6 How does the CS fit in? Significant computer component the
students and their monitors require software (and a PC, which the
host country will provide) Data management software will be
provided Data will be hosted at a central site (Stanford) A package
of simple data analysis software, tools, and instructions are
needed
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- 7 What kind of software & docs? Suitable for use by high
school/community college students without much knowledge of
computers Collect appropriate tools from resources that are feely
available, e.g. Open Source, PDL, OpenOffice Excel, etc.
Arrange/package for use with monitors and for worldwide
distribution Document so students can learn to use the tools, the
computers, and program them to do their own analyses
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- 8 How would it work? Dunno its just a crazy idea??? But, maybe:
CS would take responsibility for choosing, packaging, and
documenting software tools and how to program or extend their usage
by students CS would work primarily with the Stanford team IHY
human resources are readily available IHY financial (minimal)
resources may be available
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- 9 While you consider that, Ill give you a Quick Intro to the
Monitors and their Data Why needed? Scientific Goals The Sun, the
ionosphere, and VLF waves VLF transmitters A bit about our monitors
Data from the monitors Comparison with satellite data Relating back
to solar active regions
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- 10 Solar Activity has Dramatic Effects on the Earth Knocks out
satellites (military loses over $1 billion/yr) Disrupts power grids
(e.g. 1989 Montreal, 6 million without power) Disrupts
communications Causes dramatic aurorae Irradiates aircraft over
25,000 Radiation dangerous or fatal to astronauts, esp. going to
Moon, Mars
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- 11 Scientific Goals Daytime data: Understand the effects of
solar activity on the Earth, hopefully for predictive capabilities
Nighttime Data: Understand the electrodynamic coupling between the
troposphere, mesosphere, and the lower ionosphere driven by
lightning and thunderstorm systems
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- 12 The Sun, ionosphere, and radio waves
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- 13 VLF Transmitters 200 Towers Antenna Wires 24 around the
world NLK 24.8 KHz Navy Radio Station, Jim Creek, WA 1 cycle = 7.5
miles (12 km) VLF signals can be received all over the world,
because of the ionosphere! Primarily U.S. Navy stations for
communicating with submarines
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- 14 Our Monitors SID Low Cost (~$150) Single band 1 sample/5
seconds Preassembled & tuned Students build antenna Available
free to underserved schools AWESOME Moderate cost (~$3000)
Broadband; sample rate of 100kHz on each channel Capture ELF/VLF
frequencies ~30 Hz - 50kHz Dual use system: Daytime: monitor solar
activity Nighttime: monitor atmospheric phenomena (e.g. lightning)
So sensitive that nearly any signal above the ambient Earth noise
floor can be detected Data useable for ionospheric and solar
researchers
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- 15 Detecting Solar Flares SID(s) SID Events! Not all events are
readily explainable students can research these Student data
graphed by Excel But undeveloped nations cannot afford Excel
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- 16 GOES-12 Weather Satellite Detecting X-Rays from the Sun
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- 17 Connecting SID to GOES Data C4.5 C5.9 C3.8 M1.3 Students
have also found flares not cataloged by GOES!!!
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- 18 Connecting SID events to sunspots (Active Regions) #Event
Begin Max End Obs Q Type Loc/Frq Particulars Reg#
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1960 + 1727 1736 1744 G12 5 XRA 1-8A C4.5 3.1E-03 0424 1990 + 1930
1946 1954 G12 5 XRA 1-8A C5.9 5.9E-03 0424 2000 + 2112 2134 2140
G12 5 XRA 1-8A C3.8 3.1E-03 0424 2040 + 2341 2354 0002 G12 5 XRA
1-8A M1.3 8.5E-03 0424
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- 19 For more information on Space Weather Monitors
http://solar-center.stanford.edu/SID
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- 20 Advantages to the CS The IEEE Computer Society could be
highly visible in the program, packaging and distribution -- Press
releases, articles in Computer, printed materials, etc. Funds for
publication of manual and software may be available from IHY,
possibly to CS Pubs? Exceptional way to reach out to the worlds
youth and inspire them with computers and software!
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- 21 Caveats Would require Committed Buy-in by CS Excom, BOG, and
Staff Would require a team of 2-3 Volunteers to collect, organize,
& document the software Serious inquiries only this is a REAL
project, timelines are short, and there are no backups if the CS
should make a commitment and, gasp, fail What do you think?
???