Solar eruptions from the Sun's surface: Are coronal mass ejections potentially harmful?
In an era where crewed exploration beyond Earth's boundaries is on the horizon, the importance of understanding and forecasting extreme space weather events cannot be overstated. With the return of humans to the lunar surface and the use of the Lunar Gateway as a staging point for deep-space exploration, the radiation environment surrounding these missions becomes a critical concern.
Thousands of exoplanets have been discovered orbiting other stars, and understanding their magnetic fields and atmospheres is key to determining if they can potentially support life. Similarly, understanding Earth's own magnetic field and atmosphere is crucial to predicting the impacts of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), significant releases of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's corona.
CMEs are more frequent during the solar cycle's active phases, particularly near solar maxima. They can occur multiple times per month during these periods, with faster and more intense CMEs being associated with stronger solar activity. The recent solar cycle (Solar Cycle 25) has seen an increase in solar flares and CMEs, some of which have been directed towards Earth.
If such an event occurred today, it could cause widespread power outages and loss of satellite services affecting communications, financial transactions, traffic management, and more. In 1859, a series of fast CMEs struck Earth during a solar storm known as the Carrington Event, causing aurorae as far south as Cuba and Columbia and wreaking havoc with the world's telegraph systems. If a similar event were to occur today, the consequences would be far more severe due to our increased reliance on technology.
To tackle this challenge, scientists like Ravindra Desai, a researcher at the University of Warwick, are using high-performance computing simulations and data from the Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe, and Lunar Gateway Space Station to better understand and predict extreme space weather events. The UK Met Office is one of three centres worldwide producing 24-hour space weather forecasts, and Desai is working closely with them to deliver results from his model to help forecast extreme events.
The intersection between space weather and lunar exploration will be a major focus in the coming years. The occurrence of CMEs varies over an 11-year solar cycle of increasing and decreasing activity, with the next solar maximum expected in around 2025 or 2026. As we prepare for crewed missions to the Lunar Gateway and eventually Mars, understanding and predicting extreme space weather events will be essential to ensuring the safety and success of these missions.
Moreover, recent studies suggest that rising carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere may enhance the effects of geomagnetic storms, leading to more dramatic changes in the upper atmosphere. This could increase satellite orbit changes and make predicting satellite positions more challenging. It is a reminder that our understanding of space weather is an evolving field, and continued research and collaboration will be necessary to mitigate the potential risks.
Astronauts preparing for lunar missions and deep-space exploration must consider the critical concern of the radiation environment surrounding their missions, caused by extreme space weather events. Understanding the magnetic fields and atmospheres of exoplanets and Earth alike is key to determining potential habitability. Such knowledge is crucial in predicting the impacts of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), significant releases of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's corona.
CMEs can have severe consequences if they strike Earth, causing power outages, service disruptions, and technological chaos. As we approach the next solar maximum in 2025 or 2026, researchers like Ravindra Desai are using advanced computing simulations and spacecraft data to better understand and predict extreme space weather events.
Space weather and lunar exploration are interconnected, and understanding space weather will be essential for the success and safety of crewed missions, as well as satellite operations. Simultaneously, recent studies highlight a potential connection between rising carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere and the enhanced effects of geomagnetic storms, adding to the complexity of satellite position prediction.
As we advance in space exploration, environmental-science, health-and-wellness, and climate-change research will all play significant roles in ensuring a safe and thriving existence for astronauts and life on Earth. For example, emerging therapies-and-treatments, such as CBD, may provide potential solutions for adapting to the unique health challenges faced in space.
In the broader context, the study of space weather, space exploration, and environmental science contributes to humanity's overall knowledge of the universe and helps promote a culture of innovation, collaboration, and progress. This understanding, in turn, underpins the continued development of science, technology, and human well-being in the vastness of the cosmos.
