 |
 |
 |
 |
Tracking a Solar Storm
How can we predict solar storms to protect satellites, power grids, and astronauts?
- Predict which sunspots may be a source of solar storms!
- Discover when solar storms occur and predict which ones will affect Earth!
- Measure disturbances to Earth's magentic field and predict auroras!
- Know when to watch for auroras!
Once thought to be unchanging, the Sun is now known to vary constantly. Changes in the activity of the Sun occur in eleven-year cycles. Sunspots can appear and disappear over days or weeks. Flares and large ejections of mass (coronal mass ejections) occur in time spans of minutes to hours. The energy of the Sun constantly blows out a 'solar wind' of electrified particles that is the extended atmosphere of the Sun.
TEACHER'S NOTE
The Sun is an average star. The variability of the Sun is normal for an average star. The Sun is now known to vary on time scales from billions of years to thousands of years to eleven-year cycles to hours. Its variability is caused by its structure, basic nuclear processes, the behavior of ionized gasses, and electric and magnetic fields. The Earth and all of the planets exist within the extended atmosphere of the Sun. The energy from the Sun is responsible for life on Earth. Conditions on Earth, including climate, seasons, and weather, are driven by the Sun.
Abrupt changes on the Sun can create flares and coronal mass ejections that blast brief but powerful 'solar storms' into space. Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field (magnetosphere) that protects us from the worst effects of solar storms. However, solar storms can cause fluctuations in the magnetosphere called magnetic storms. These magnetic storms have disabled satellites and burned out transformers shutting down power grids. These storms also can endanger astronauts. These magnetic storms contribute to more intense auroras that can be seen closer to the equator than is usual.
Click on Sunspotters, Storm Signals, Magnetosphere, or Auroral Friends to get tutorials to help you understand and use the data.
Click on Space Weather Resources to get to all the data immediately.
TEACHER FEATURES
 |
REGISTER:Register for free education materials, email updates and other educational resources for Sun-Earth Day. |
 |
National Standards and Assessment:The inquiry nature of S.O.N. addresses critical Benchmarks and National Educational Technology Standards. Assessment tools provided. |
 |
Inquiry:A variety of techniques can be used to guide and facilitate the inquiry process of S.O.N. |
NEWS BULLETIN
The sun has been quiet the past week as it continues to progress into solar minimum. What is solar minimum? Read "The Changing Sun" in the Content Enhancement.
Features
 | Sun-Earth Viewer:View live images of the Sun, watch interviews of scientists, and get illustrations and visualizations in our Flash viewer. |
 |
Tools and Resources:A complete list of live data links for each section and other useful links can be found here. A must for advanced students. |
TEACHER'S NOTE
"Our still-growing knowledge of the solar system and
the rest of the universe comes to us in part by direct observation but mostly
through the use of tools we have developed to extend and supplement our own
senses. These tools include telescopes that are sensitive to a broad spectrum
of information coming to us from space..."
(p42, Science for All Americans, Project 2061, AAAS)
NASA provides important tools for examining the Sun and its effect on Earth. The Student Observation Network collects and organizes data from many NASA missions to make it easy for students to engage in inquiry.
The Goal
"Tracking a Solar Storm" is designed to engage students in Grades 4-12 in scientific investigations that allow them to construct an understanding of the processes described above by:
- Making observations of the Sun
- Tracking Solar Storms
- Using scientific data
- Making predictions
- Conducting on-line collaborations
The Structure
This module has been carefully constructed to follow the sequence of events of a Solar Storm. It explores the essential question: How can we predict solar storms to protect satellites, power grids, and astronauts? "Tracking a Solar Storm" contains four programs, each designed to answer separate questions that, together, contribute to answering the essential question. This structure allows you to use the "Jigsaw Method"
To facilitate guided inquiry of "Tracking a Solar Storm", begin with Sunspotters, proceed to Storm Signals , followed by Magnetosphere, and finally Auroral Friends. Used in this order you will more closely follow the sequence of events of a solar storm.
- Sunspotters, allows students to collect data to answer the question, " Do sunspot regions exist today that could be a source of solar storms? "
- Storm Signals , allows students to collect data to answer the question, "Have radio signals been recorded today due to a flare or CME that could affect Earth?"
- Magnetosphere, allows students to collect data to answer the question, "Has there been a measurable disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field?"
- Auroral Friends, allows students to collect data to answer the question, "Have auroras been seen within the last 24 hours due to a solar storm?"
Connection to core curriculum
Students can follow the development and progress of solar storms and determine the conditions necessary for storms that will affect Earth. In addition, "Tracking a Solar Storm" provides the theme that unites many classroom objectives that are often taught in isolation. Research shows that students learn concepts better when the concepts are taught in a context. Concepts that are essential to understanding the content of the essential question are at the heart of the central curriculum in most schools. For example, units and lessons developing core classroom educational objectives for light, magnetism, energy, the Sun, and the Earth's magnetic field are integral to the "Tracking a Solar Storm" and are available on-line. Many science and math standards can be met depending upon what parts of the Student Observation Network students investigate and upon those activities students explore.
Research
You or your students may think of other questions to investigate. Once the students have answered the essential question, learned critical concepts and become familiar with the data, the Student Observation Network allows you the potential to develop inquiry assignments in which the student proposes a research topic, collects data from the various ground-based observatories and satellites, and presents his or her results.
- NASA Official: Dr. James Thieman
- Project Manager: Don Robinson-Boonstra
- Website Manager: Bryan Stephenson