Speaker Name:
Lee-Anne McKinnell
Speaker Affiliation:
HMO, Rhodes
Talk Subject:
Space Weather in Africa
Date:
03/25/2009 - 13:00
Venue:
LT C, RW James
Space weather is the name given to the measurements and interpretation of changing environmental conditions in the Earth-Sun system. Generally, space weather describes the conditions in space that affect Earth and its technological systems, and is a consequence of the behavior of the sun, the nature of Earth's magnetic field, and our location in the solar system. Understanding space weather is crucial in the design, deployment, operation, and maintenance of space technology. Space weather does not only affect space technology but also has adverse effects on High-Frequency (HF) radio communication, electric transformers, long-distance pipelines and mineral explorations.
The HMO has recently become the Regional Warning Center (RWC) for Space Weather in Africa, and has now an obligation to provide Space Weather forecasts and predictions in a usable and friendly way. This presentation will discuss Space Weather, the progress towards becoming the RWC for Africa, and the need for a Space Weather Center that delivers useful products to a technology based society.