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NOVA scienceNOW: Space Storms
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Program Overview
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Scientists investigate the causes of space weather—electrical
storms caused by charged particles and radiation coming from the
sun. They also describe the THEMIS mission and how it may aid
space-weather predictions.
This NOVA scienceNOW segment:
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explains that space weather storms are caused by solar wind
(electrically charged particles and radiation) coming from the
sun.
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describes how the northern lights occur: While most of the solar
wind is deflected by Earth's magnetic field, some of it collides
with gas molecules in the atmosphere. These collisions excite
the molecules, causing them to fluoresce and produce colorful
flashes of light around Earth's poles.
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points out that northern lights, though beautiful to observers
on Earth, can expose astronauts to deadly amounts of radiation,
damage satellite electrical systems, and overwhelm power grids,
causing massive blackouts.
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reports that the THEMIS mission will analyze space weather to
better understand it. The mission consists of five identical
satellites with giant antennas. The THEMIS satellites line up in
Earth's magnetic field every four days and accrue space-weather
data.
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discusses how the U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center assesses
the THEMIS information and makes a daily space weather
prediction. The current system allows for forecasts one hour
ahead of a space weather storm.
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concludes with the hope that THEMIS's two-year mission will
collect enough revealing data so that scientists can make
earlier, more accurate space weather predictions.
Taping Rights: Can be used up to one year after the program
is taped off the air.
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