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

Abstract: A brief history of the establishment of the Colaba-Alibag Magnetic Observatory, Mumbai (Bombay), is given. Records of the historic geomagnetic storms of 1859 and 1872, preserved in Mumbai, are revisited to discuss estimates of the intensity of the storms.

The associated auroral activity records and the historic observations at low latitudes of space weather effects on the then-existing technical systems, pointed out in my recent work, will be discussed.

The period of the Little Ice Age and the Maunder Minimum has been well-studied for high latitudes.  Recently in my work, I have looked at the historical evidence of the effects of low solar activity on the monsoon rainfall in India and failing rain causing human suffering, especially of the masons and artisans engaged in the construction of the Taj Mahal.