We have many weather watchers in the world both professional and amateur keeping statistics of what goes on at ground level perhaps more so now than ever due to Covid19. We talk a lot about how cold or warm it is or is going to be, how much rain or snow may or may not fall, however, many fail to recognize what is going on above our atmosphere which could have a big impact on our daily lives.
I am amazed at how far we have come technology-wise since WW2 and the V2 rocket growing to the Falcon Heavy from SpaceX.
I have studied the rocket program since I was a kid and the Gemini program which put John Glenn into orbit. Back then rockets were primitive compared to what we have today. The capsule which held an astronaut back then was very small with enough room to sit and operate controls. I have seen the capsule in person at the Kalamazoo air zoo – not one for a person who has claustrophobia.
Now we have hundreds of satellites in space, a space telescope, and a space station. GOES 14 and 15 have been on duty for 10 years and are being replaced by GEOS16. These satellites keep track of our space weather.
Here is the info from the Space Weather Prediction Center:
SWPC began utilizing GOES-16 as the primary geostationary satellite for its operations in December 2019.
GOES-16 offers a number of improvements and changes to space weather measurements, as outlined below:
- X-ray Sensor (XRS):
- The new XRS is more sensitive, measuring more variability during low solar activity.
- The new XRS is significantly more sensitive to contamination from electrons; however, algorithms are in place to remove most of this contamination.
- The GOES-16 & 17 XRS data values will read about 30% higher than older GOES satellite measurements eliminating the need for scale corrections. Confidence in these new measurements, in terms of accuracy, comes in part due to the GOES-16 & 17 XRS calibration occurring at the NIST calibration facility.
- More information on X-ray measurements is available here.
- Energetic Particles:
- >0.8 MeV electron channel is no longer available.
- >500 MeV proton channel is now available.
- More information on energetic particle measurements is available here.
- Magnetometer:
- Arcjet thruster firings cause interference with the magnetometer measurements but are flagged in the data and plots.
- Solar Imaging
- The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) is a new instrument replacing the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI). While SUVI images similar regions of the lower corona as the SXI, many measurement characteristics are different. The SUVI is similar to NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory’s Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument.
- More information on solar extreme ultraviolet imaging observations is available here.
In addition to the measurement changes, SWPC updated the ways in which we display and deliver data. Line plots are now fully interactive and available on our web pages (X-rays, Magnetometer, Electrons, and Protons). With these plots, you can select different date ranges, select and deselect items displayed, zoom on the time axis, and export data and chart images. Currently, GOES-14 and/or GOES-15 data are shown on these plots since those are the currently operational satellites. The SUVI data display remains similar to the SXI data display. However, this page is currently displaying live SUVI data.
66 degrees at the airport. WOOD was predicting 60. Average high is 62. I love it!
Officially it is now up to 63 at Grand Rapids. Here at my house I am now at 68. It is now time to go out and cut the grass.
Slim
Wow above average high temps? How can that be? It’s beautiful outside!
April 26th I sure hope so golliee ….INDY
Ch 8 mentioned April Temps have been below average for five of the past six years. Winter is obviously growing longer and longer in the Southern Arctic. Permanent Winter can’t be too far behind.
Lol Um the last 4 years have been above average temps. If anything, we are turning into Ohio north.
Looks like April will be another month with below average snowfall.
Mainly 60-70 degrees the next 8 days per WOOD. Perfect!
There is clearing to the west and today looks to be a nice day. At this time it is 46 here at my house. I think today I will cut the grass for the first time this year. Some years the cutting season starts in mid April and others not until May. Once into May cutting the grass might be a two times a week thing for a while. It depends on how much rain we get.
Slim