A quiet sun spurs questions on future aurora
The sun’s sluggish activity over the last year has sent many faithful aurora watchers to the experts at the Geophysical Institute. They want to know why there are so few aurora-filled nights and when they can expect the bands and curls of light to reappear in the night sky. Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy answer to their questions.
NASA workshop: Aug. 25
Come meet representatives from Johnson Space Center, Jet Propulsion Lab, and Ames Research Center. Explore possible collaborations in research and education.
Make yourself more competitive in proposing to Alaska Space Grant and Alaska NASA EPSCoR Research Initiation Solicitations.
This is the ideal venue to make connections and sell your research ideas. Come find out how your discipline connects, NASA’s interests are very broad.
Where: Globe Room, Elvey Building
Aurora Alert issued
According to long-time GI Aurora Forecaster Chuck Deehr, a large solar event occurred near the central part of the sun on Aug. 2, 2011. Effects of the flare are expected to arrive at Earth on the evening of August 3 (GMT). High auroral activity is forecasted for the night of August 3, and perhaps the night of August 4.
More information available at http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast.
Historic Observations of Space Weather Effects on Human Life and Technical Systems in India
Speaker: Prof. Chanchal Uberoi from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
Prof. Chanchal Uberoi is well-known for her work on Alfven waves, magnetic reconnection, etc.
Date: Monday, August 1st
Time: 3:45 pm
Place: Globe Room, Elvey Building
DIXI team meeting at GI discusses Hartley 2
As reported by DIXI meeting coordinator Don Hampton:
The Deep Impact EXtended Investigation science team met at the Geophysical Institute from June 21 through June 26 to discuss the results of the flyby of comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 8, 2010. The comet flyby was accomplished using the repurposed Deep Impact spacecraft that was originally used to observe a spacecraft impact with comet Tempel 1 in 2005.
GI postdoc presents at NSF CEDAR-GEM meeting
In June, Callum Anderson of the Geophysical Institute’s Space Physics group presented at the 2011 Coupling, Energetics and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions and Geospace Environment Modeling summer workshop.
Two rockets set to launch from Poker Flat Research Range
For Immediate Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Scientists are now at Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks preparing to launch two NASA sounding rockets for two separate experiments. The launch window for both experiments opens on January 26, 2010 and extends until February 15, 2010.
In the experiment set to launch first (on January 26 if winds are favorable), researchers from the University of Colorado will use a rocket at the top of its arc 200 miles above the ground as a platform to obtain a electronic telescope image of a far-off galaxy.
PDF DownloadWhat causes low aurora activity? Physicist to tackle question at Science for Alaska 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan 17, 2011 CONTACT: Stevie Seibert, GI Public Relations, 907-474-5229, stevie [dot] seibert [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu
Fairbanks, Alaska—Aurora displays in the night sky are one of the pleasures Alaskans look forward to during our long winters. The intensity of the aurora is dependent on particles being emitted from the sun. Solar activity is tracked in cycles and when the sun goes into a minimum, the aurora is visible less frequently. Typically, a solar minimum lasts about one year. However, the current minimum has been going on for more than three years.
Bering Sea flights prove viability of university’s unmanned aircraft
For Immediate Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Researchers can chalk up another accomplishment for the University of Alaska’s Unmanned Aircraft Program. Based on the seal-observing performance of the program’s 40-pound ScanEagles, researchers have learned the aircraft can operate in snow and light icing conditions. This feat enhances the viability of the technology, which has proven useful flying through smoke and fog during previous scientific flights.
