Impacts of Space Weather on the Technological World

Catalog description

Systems approach to understanding how space weather impacts the near-earth space environment, our magnetosphere, upper atmosphere, and the myriad of ways it couples into the Earth system. Identification and impact of solar radio bursts, geomagnetic storms, geomagnetically induced currents (GI Cs), aurora, and radiation storms on our technological infrastructure. The course will address the varying severity of impacts from mild inconveniences to the possibility of a Carrington-class event that could cause a massive geomagnetic storm that could destroy national power grids world-wide and cause irreparable damage to the global economy. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: SWEN 571 or permission of program coordinator. Fully online, distance-learning format. Offered annually.