Manifestation of solar activity. Technogenic Manifestations of SA Solar Activity

With the development of space technology, you can watch the activity of our star online

Here you can watch our space weather online, which mainly depends on the activity of our star. The data comes directly from the SDO satellite and is updated very frequently, so you can always know the exact state of our Sun's activity and space weather.

The data presented below was obtained by the AIA instrument installed on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft and is intended to provide high-quality images of the corona. The images cover at least 1.3 solar diameters across multiple wavelengths, with a resolution of about 1 arc second.

The main purpose of the AIA tool is to significantly improve our understanding of the physics of the solar atmosphere that shapes space weather. The AIA instrument produces the data required for the quantitative study of coronal magnetic fields and plasma. It provides new insights into observable processes and ultimately develops the advanced predictive tools we all need.

Below are snapshots of the Sun's activity today online in real time

The wavelength is 193 angstroms (covering the corona), which corresponds to a temperature of about 1.2 million degrees.

The state of space weather in the solar system depends on our luminary. Streams of ionized plasma, hard radiation and flares, solar wind, these are the main parameters.

The wavelength is 171 angstroms (covering the calm corona), which corresponds to a temperature of about 0.6 million degrees.

The wavelength is 94 angstroms (hot corona), which corresponds to a temperature of about 6.3 million degrees.

The wavelength is 304 angstroms (covering the transition layer and the chromosphere), which corresponds to a temperature of about 50,000 degrees.

The wavelength is 4500 angstroms (photosphere), which corresponds to a temperature of about 5000 degrees.

The wavelength is 1600 angstroms (transition layer and upper photosphere), which corresponds to a temperature of about 5000 degrees.

Online chart of space weather activity

Contains the following parameters: a graph of protons (data from the GOES-13 satellite), electrons, as well as data on the magnetic field near the Earth and magnetic storms (lower part of the image). Update every 5 minutes.

Parameters of the solar wind and magnetic field near the Earth

The diagram below shows solar wind and magnetic field data. Update every 15-20 minutes. They clearly show the speed of the solar wind and other parameters in near-Earth space.

The state of solar activity today

(red - extreme, yellow [-50 nT > Dst > -100 nT] - high, green [-20 nT > Dst > -50 nT] - medium, blue - low)

The black arrow indicates the current value of solar activity for today.

The determining value in the Sun-Earth system is played by instabilities that arise under conditions of a strong deviation from equilibrium. Since the earth's atmosphere is stratified in height , in the gravitational field she is is in unstable equilibrium. A change in the solar plasma flux can cause a rather strong deviation from equilibrium, which will lead to additional instability in a number of processes in the Earth's atmosphere. Solar activity acts as a kind of "trigger", giving impetus to the development of various instabilities.

Specific features of turbulence in the atmosphere are a wide range of scales of turbulent inhomogeneities (from mm to thousands of km) and a significant effect of the vertical density distribution on the development of small-scale turbulence. An important role in the formation of the turbulence structure is played by various types of instabilities inherent in moving air masses. In conditions of highly developed turbulence in the atmosphere, global air circulation also becomes unstable. Whirlwinds arise, covering a space of thousands of kilometers and eventually disintegrating into smaller ones (from cm to mm). At small vortex sizes, viscosity suppresses turbulent fluctuations. All flows in the atmosphere, one way or another connected with convection, turn out to be not only complex, but also unstable even with respect to weak external perturbations.

General circulation of the atmosphere.

The main factors influencing the formation of the Earth's climate are solar radiation, atmospheric circulation and the nature of the underlying surface. Under their joint influence, the formation climatic zones the globe. The amount of incoming solar heat depends on a number of factors. The determining factor is the angle of incidence of the sun's rays. Therefore, at low geographical latitudes, much more solar energy arrives than at middle and even higher latitudes. The general circulation of the atmosphere is called closed currents of air masses, occurring on a hemispheric or global scale and leading to latitudinal and meridional transport of matter and energy in the atmosphere. main reason the occurrence of air currents in the atmosphere - uneven distribution of heat on the surface of the Earth, which leads to unequal heating of soil and air in different zones of the globe, therefore solar energy is the root cause of all movements in air shell Earth. In addition to the influx of solar energy, the most important factors causing the occurrence of wind include the rotation of the Earth around its axis, the heterogeneity of the underlying surface and the friction of air on the soil. In the earth's atmosphere, air movements of various scales are observed - from tens and hundreds of meters (local winds) to hundreds and thousands of kilometers (cyclones, anticyclones, monsoons, trade winds, planetary frontal zones). In one old book, the circulation in the atmosphere is described as follows: “The Equator is like a hot steam boiler. The white caps of the poles there are refrigerators. And the furnace is the Sun. The radiant heat of the sun heats the cauldron - the air of the equator. The heated air rises and flows to the refrigerators, cools there and, descending, flows down to the equator. Thus, a huge air wheel rotates above the Earth, which sets the Sun in motion. This is the first ring of planetary circulation. However, the rotation of the Earth deflects these moving masses to the right in the northern hemisphere, and to the left in the southern. As a result, the air flows not to the north, but to the northeast, and somewhere at the level of 30 degrees from the equator it no longer flows along the meridian, but along the latitude from west to east. The accumulation of air in the region of 30 degrees latitude in both hemispheres leads to the formation of a belt of high pressure above the Earth's surface. From this belt, the air spreads in both directions, deviating under the action of the Coriolis forces. Part of the air masses, cooling, turns back - towards the equator and moves in a northeasterly direction. Such air currents are called trade winds, they close the second ring of atmospheric circulation, the ring of trade winds. Other masses go further north, but the Coriolis force deflects them to the right. A system of southwestern and western winds prevailing in temperate latitudes is formed here. At the north pole, the air, cooling, sinks down and spreads to the south, at the south - to the north. while the wind takes the direction from east to west. When meeting air from temperate latitudes, these air masses rise. This closes the third ring of movement of air masses. This is a very simplified, outdated picture of the planetary circulation, containing only three closed rings. In nature, however, these rings are linked into a single mechanism. Real winds often change their routes. Equatorial air sometimes breaks through the trade wind ring and reaches the pole. On the Mediterranean coast, due to the influx of Arctic air, it is so cold in spring that the gardens freeze. In addition, the underlying surface of the Earth is very diverse - continents, oceans, etc. Each continent heats up very quickly in summer and cools down in winter. This means that in the "kitchen of the planet" there are other "boilers" and "refrigerators" that work differently in each season. In winter, the mainland is a refrigerator, and the ocean is a boiler, and vice versa in summer. So the monsoon wheel also joins the complex air cycle, which rotates in one direction in summer and in the other in winter.

Modern principles of classification of forms of atmospheric circulation of the northern hemisphere Wangenheim - Giers.

Air masses are constantly moving around the globe. The speed of their movement is influenced by the uneven inflow of solar radiation and its absorption by various parts of the underlying surface and atmosphere, the rotation of the Earth, the thermal and dynamic interaction of the atmosphere with the underlying surface, including interaction with the ocean. The main cause of atmospheric movements is the inhomogeneity of heating of various parts of the Earth's surface and atmosphere. The rise of warm and lowering of cold air on the rotating Earth is accompanied by the formation of circulation systems of various scales. The set of large-scale atmospheric movements is called the general circulation of the atmosphere. The atmosphere receives heat by absorbing solar radiation due to the condensation of water vapor and due to heat exchange with the underlying surface. The release of latent heat into the atmosphere depends on the rise humid air. Thus, the tropical zone of the Pacific Ocean is a powerful source of heat and moisture for the atmosphere. Significant heat transfer from the ocean surface occurs in winter where cold air masses enter areas of warm sea currents. One of the largest links in the general circulation of the atmosphere is the circumpolar vortex. Its formation is due to the presence of cold centers in the polar region, and heat centers in the tropical zone. The circumpolar movement and its manifestation - the western transfer - represent a stable and salient feature general atmospheric circulation. In the 1930s, studies of the general circulation of the atmosphere began. All synoptic processes (SP) were divided into elementary (ESP), then they were reduced to three forms of circulation: western (W), eastern (E), and meridional (C). The processes of the western form (W) are characterized by the development of zonal circulation components and a rapid displacement of baric formations from west to east. With the development of meridional forms of circulation, when stationary waves of large amplitude are formed, processes of the E and C forms are observed. The distribution of air currents on the globe is closely related to the distribution of pressure, temperature and the nature of cyclonic activity, therefore, there must be a certain zonality in the distribution of wind on Earth. However, the actual directions of the winds in winter and summer differ from the winds assumed by the zonal scheme. The most distinct zonality has winds in the near-equatorial zone. In the northern hemisphere, northeasterly winds prevail in winter and summer, and southeasterly winds, trade winds, prevail in the southern hemisphere. The trade winds are most pronounced over the Pacific Ocean. Above the continents and near them, the trade winds are broken by another system of currents - monsoons, which arise due to cyclonic activity associated with a large temperature difference between the sea and land. In winter, the monsoon is directed from the continent to the ocean, and in the summer - from the ocean to the continent. Brightly monsoonal transport of air masses is observed in coastal areas East Asia and, in particular, in Primorye, Air masses move both near the surface of the Earth and at high altitudes from the Earth, and not only in the horizontal direction, but also in the vertical direction. Although the vertical air velocities are small, they play an important role in vertical air exchange, cloud and precipitation formation, and other weather phenomena. There are other features in the distribution of vertical movements. The analysis of synoptic maps showed that the temperature contrasts between the pole and the equator are unevenly distributed along the latitude. A relatively narrow zone is observed, where a significant part of the atmospheric circulation energy is concentrated. Here, the maximum values ​​of baric gradients and, consequently, wind speeds are noted. For such areas, the concept of a high-altitude frontal zone (UFZ) was introduced, and the strong westerly winds associated with it began to be called jet streams or jets. Typically, the wind speed along the jet axis exceeds 30 m/s, the vertical wind speed gradient exceeds 5 m/s per 1 km, and the horizontal speed gradient reaches 10 m/s or more, remaining for about 100 km. The UFZ occupies large geographic areas: its width is 800–1000 km, and its height is 12–15 km, with a length of 5–10 thousand km. The UFZ usually includes one or more atmospheric fronts and is the place of origin of mobile frontal cyclones and anticyclones moving in the direction of the main (leading) flow. During periods of strong development of meridional processes, the UFZ, as it were, "wriggles", bending around high-altitude ridges from the north and hollows from the south. The general circulation of the atmosphere is a system of large-scale air currents over the globe. This system is available for study using daily synoptic maps, and is also displayed on long-term average maps for the earth's surface and troposphere. Area dominated by high or low pressure on the middle maps indicates the area where the center of action of the atmosphere (ACA) is located. CDA can be permanent (Azores anticyclone) and seasonal (Siberian anticyclone, Aleutian depression). The study of the features of the general circulation of the atmosphere made it possible to create methods for forecasting the weather for periods of various durations.

Forecast problem.

The question of the influence of solar activity on the weather has practical value. If this influence is significant, it must be taken into account in meteorological forecasts, the significance of which is important for planning and organizing a wide variety of events. Nowcasting for periods up to half a day is based on an intensive approach using continuous observations. At the same time, observational data of meteorological fields, especially meso-scale fields of clouds and precipitation, obtained from data from satellites and radars, are analyzed and extrapolated. The numerical (hydrodynamic) method of weather forecasting is based on the mathematical solution of a system of complete equations of hydrodynamics and obtaining predictive pressure and temperature fields at certain time intervals. Computing centers in Moscow, Washington, Tokyo, Reiding (European forecasting center) use various numerical schemes for the development of large-scale atmospheric processes. The accuracy of numerical forecasts depends on the counting rate of computer systems, the quantity and quality of information coming from weather stations. The more data, the more accurate the calculation. The synoptic method of making weather forecasts is based on the analysis of weather maps. The essence of this method lies in the simultaneous review of the state of the atmosphere over a vast territory, which makes it possible to determine the nature of the development of atmospheric processes and the further most probable change weather conditions in the area under consideration. Such an overview is carried out with the help of weather maps, on which the data of meteorological observations at various heights, as well as near the Earth's surface, are made simultaneously according to a single program at various points on the globe. Based on a detailed analysis of these maps, the forecaster determines further conditions for the development of atmospheric processes in a certain period of time and calculates the characteristics of meteorological parameters - temperature, wind, cloudiness, precipitation, etc. Statistical forecasting methods make it possible to predict the weather for a certain future period of time based on the past and present state of the atmosphere, i.e. predict changes in various weather elements in the future. An integrated approach is often chosen - the use of several particular methods for predicting the same characteristic of the state of the atmosphere at once in order to select the final version of the forecast. Since the earth's atmosphere is very sensitive to external influences, predicting the weather on long term by direct calculation of the movement of air masses becomes impossible. The calculations performed showed that initially close (within the framework of the hydrodynamic model of the atmosphere) various solutions then quickly diverge and lead to qualitatively different results. In the process of hydrodynamic calculations, the initial errors double over the course of three to five days. And after two or three weeks, further calculations may give uncertain results.

The founder of heliometeorology is considered to be the meteorologist A.V. Dyakov (1900–1989), who in 1960–1980 led a weather station in the village of Temirtau (Gornaya Shoria, foothills of Altai), is considered the founder of heliometeorology, since he predicted the weather in the regions of Kazakhstan, Western Siberia, Altai and the Urals on the basis of his observations of sunspots and was even awarded an order for this. Dyakov gave long-term weather forecasts for several months ahead, taking into account the activity of the Sun. In his forecasts, he relied on the ideas of K. Flammarion, A.V. Klossovsky (1846–1917) and A.I. Voeikov (1842–1916) about the existence of two atmospheric flows: cold (polar) and warm (equatorial). In addition, he paid great attention to the work of Eleanor Lear, who developed types of seasonal circulation. As a result, Dyakov came to the conclusion that the earth's atmosphere should be considered as an open self-oscillatory system, which is affected by uneven solar radiation.

Igor Tsygankov cites the Dyakov calendar, in which rainfall and grain yields have been recorded since 1892. This calendar has been used for many years. It contains observations of precipitation over more than 100 years. The calendar is applicable for Eastern Siberia and Kazakhstan. All fifth years according to this calendar are dry. Dyakovo forecasts were also used Soviet government. I. Tsygankov also keeps his own calendar, starting from 1955, which completely coincides with Dyakovo's: For example, in 1965, the harvest of elite grains on well-groomed fields amounted to only 7 centners per hectare. 1975 - the yield is even lower, only 4 centners.

Biological manifestations of solar activity. Solar activity and biological rhythms.

The effects of ionizing and penetrating radiation on living organisms are well known; they are successfully used in medicine for the treatment and prevention of many diseases. Cosmic influences are found at many levels of biological structures, ranging from the simplest cells up to neurophysiological processes in the human brain. A.L. Chizhevsky came to the conclusion that solar-biospheric relationships are a general biological regularity. He introduced the term "heliobiology", created the scientific direction of space biology, established the relationship between SA cyclicity and phenomena in the biosphere, showed the possibility of predicting the behavior of people and terrestrial events depending on the rhythms of the external environment. Now these views are being developed by Professor S.E. Shnol at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Here, external rhythmic variations of environmental factors that can cause synchronization of biorhythms in organisms are studied. If the body does not have time to compensate for external influences, then desynchronization occurs, which can lead to functional disorders in the body.

Macroscopic fluctuations and their connection with SA solar activity.

Under Shnol's leadership, macrofluctuations (MF) were discovered, i.e., the non-uniformity of the course of chemical reactions in physical and chemical media. This discovery today has led to a new stage in the development of biology - heliobiology. After the connection with the action of space agents (SA) on MF was discovered, the possibilities of searching for rhythms in physicochemical phenomena expanded.

The essence of MF can be explained as follows: let in a certain amount aqueous solution the rate of a chemical reaction is measured. If the rate of this reaction is measured successively at a rate of every few minutes, then the rate values ​​can differ significantly from each other, many times exceeding the instrumental error. The number of reacted particles, changing with time, gives a series discrete quantities. The transition from one value to another occurs spontaneously and quickly (in less than 0.01 s) and, most strikingly, in a macrovolume synchronously even in two separate, adjacent vessels. Over time, signs of MF were found in a variety of processes, which led to the conclusion that the distribution of MF in the environment of physicochemical processes is of a general nature.

Technogenic manifestations of SA solar activity.

The first report of a solar flare was published in 1859. Simultaneously and independently of each other, R. Carrington and R. Hodgson visually observed in white light against the background of a bright photosphere a brilliant point like a star. Within a few hours spontaneously occurred short circuits in telegraph wires, observed both in the United States and in Europe, which caused a number of fires. In both hemispheres of the Earth, auroras have been seen at unusually low latitudes, as far as Rome, Havana and Hawaii. The impact of solar flares on the state of the lower layers of the atmosphere was also noted by G. Wild in 1882

The most important technogenic influences of SA:

1. Cause ionospheric disturbances.

2. Disrupt radio communications.

3. They are a source of radiation hazard for astronauts and spacecraft equipment.

4. Magnetospheric and ionospheric variations enhance electromagnetic radiation at frequencies of 0.001–10 Hz and affect navigation (compasses and radio), cable communications (telex, telephone), operation of power lines, oil and gas pipelines.

Detection of solar-terrestrial connections and the impact of solar radiation on the Earth.

Even in the annals of ancient observers who recorded the ongoing events, there are references to a possible relationship between solar and terrestrial phenomena. Terrestrial phenomena manifested themselves in the form of grandiose geophysical catastrophes (droughts, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, polar lights visible throughout Europe and even in tropical countries), deadly epidemic diseases and mass starvation (wheat crop failures or rising prices for it on the exchanges). Based on observations of sunspots, auroras, and fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field, the Danish astronomer Gorrebov (mid-18th century) was one of the first to suspect the dependence of phenomena observed on Earth on the number of sunspots, i.e. from his activity. The assumption about the corpuscular radiation of the Sun at the end of the 19th century. was expressed by the Norwegian K.O. Birkeland. Many, based on the observed or suspected periodicity of various phenomena in the earth's atmosphere, tried to accurately restore the length of the periods and the amplitude of the oscillations, and only then their cause. Of these phenomena, the best studied is the estimated approximately 35-year periodicity of alternately warm and dry and cold and wet periods, which were first pointed out by Professor E. Brückner.

Back in 1912 M.A. Bogolepov in the book Climate fluctuations and historical life(famine and war) wrote: “the electromagnetic state of the Earth has a direct effect on the plant and living life organisms." He analyzed the Russian chronicles, which reflected the most notable events, and came to the conclusion that sudden climate changes are a manifestation of periodic perturbations of all life on the globe with all its physical and organic world, that all this is transmitted in one form or another of human life. and is expressed by economic and political disasters. In our time, there is no that insane form of famine that is described in the annals of the distant past, there are no raids by Asian nomads, but bankruptcies, production crises, economic disasters have appeared, which, in turn, also strongly affect the political life of the peoples of the whole Earth. It is fruitless to look for periodicity in any single phenomenon of life. Only the totality of all signs of disturbances on the globe can reveal the pattern of phenomena: the epoch of greatest disturbances is repeated three times in a century, namely: most of the 3rd decade and the first half of the 4th, from the beginning of the 7th decade to the middle of the 8th, all 90 years and the beginning of a new century.

Douglas examined growth rings on the stumps of the Sequoia gigantea tree. Since one copy of these thousand-year-old giants had an age of about 3200 years, it turned out to be possible to trace the magnitude of the growth of annual rings over a huge period of time. From these data, Douglas concluded that there are climate fluctuations whose periods are multiples of the 11-year cycle of solar activity. He also singled out a period of 101 years, possibly corresponding to the secular cycle of the SA.

Tree growth and number of sunspots, from studies of living trees in England, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Austria. The tree growth curve has large maxima near the sunspot maxima, as well as weaker secondary maxima, approximately halfway between them. Both maxima within the same 11-year cycle correspond to the course of the curves of the total precipitation, which differ in the same periodicity (Douglas).

Application of statistics for the analysis of solar-terrestrial relations.

Spectral analysis of time series - essential method studying the properties of various physical, biological, meteorological and other processes in nature, for which there are quantitative characteristics at certain points in time. Its purpose is to divide the time series into different frequency components. To do this, the observed data series is expanded into a Fourier series. The resulting dependence of the amplitudes of the Fourier harmonics on the frequency is called the spectrum of the series (process), and the dependence of the squared amplitudes is called the power spectrum. Analysis of this dependence makes it possible to identify the most important periodic patterns of the phenomenon under study, to compare it with other processes, and to evaluate the corresponding correlations.

An analysis of variations in terrestrial processes and manifestations of solar activity, as well as a comparison of them with each other, shows that solar activity and the perturbations of the interplanetary medium caused by it manifest themselves in all shells of the Earth, including the magnetosphere, all layers of the atmosphere, the lithosphere, the biosphere, and even the technosphere.

Edward Kononovich

It seems to us that the source of life on Earth - solar radiation - is constant and unchanging. The continuous development of life on our planet over the past billion years, as it were, confirms this. But the physics of the Sun, which has achieved great success over the past decade, has proved that the radiation of the Sun experiences oscillations that have their own periods, rhythms and cycles. Spots, torches, prominences appear on the Sun. Their number increases within 4-5 years to the highest limit in the year of solar activity.

This is the time of maximum solar activity. During these years, the Sun throws out an additional amount of particles charged with electricity - corpuscles, which rush through interplanetary space at a speed of more than 1000 km / s and break into the Earth's atmosphere. Especially powerful streams of corpuscles come out during chromospheric flares - a special kind of explosions of solar matter. During these exceptionally strong flares, the Sun throws out what are known as cosmic rays. These rays consist of fragments of atomic nuclei and come to us from the depths of the Universe. During the years of solar activity, the ultraviolet, X-ray and radio emission of the Sun increases.

Periods of solar activity have a huge impact on weather changes and increased natural disasters which is well known from history. Indirectly, peaks in solar activity, as well as solar flares, can affect social processes causing famine, war and revolution. At the same time, the assertion that there is a direct connection between activity peaks and revolutions does not have any scientifically confirmed theory. However, in any case, it is clear that the forecast of solar activity in connection with the weather is the most important task of climatology. Increased solar activity adversely affects the health of people and their physical state disrupts biological rhythms.

The radiation of the Sun carries with it a large amount of energy. All types of this energy, entering the atmosphere, are mainly absorbed by its upper layers, where, as scientists say, “disturbances” occur. The lines of force of the Earth's magnetic field direct abundant flows of corpuscles to the polar latitudes. As a result, there are magnetic storms and polar lights. Corpuscular rays begin to penetrate even into the atmosphere of temperate and southern latitudes. Then polar lights flash in such places remote from the polar countries as Moscow, Kharkov, Sochi, Tashkent. Such phenomena have been observed repeatedly and will be observed more than once in the future.

Sometimes magnetic storms reach such strength that they interrupt telephone and radio communications, disrupt the operation of power lines, and cause power outages.

The sun's ultraviolet rays are almost entirely absorbed by the high layers of the atmosphere.

For the Earth, this is of great importance: after all, in large quantities, ultraviolet rays are detrimental to all living things.

Solar activity, affecting the high layers of the atmosphere, significantly affects the general circulation of air masses. Consequently, it is reflected in the weather and climate of the entire Earth. Apparently, the influence of disturbances arising in the upper layers of the air ocean are transmitted to its lower layers - the troposphere. During the flights of artificial Earth satellites and meteorological rockets, expansions and compactions of the high layers of the atmosphere were discovered: air tides, similar to oceanic rhythms. However, the mechanism of the relationship between the index of high and low layers of the atmosphere has not yet been fully disclosed. There is no doubt that during the years of maximum solar activity, the cycles of atmospheric circulation intensify, collisions of warm and cold currents of air masses occur more often.

On Earth, there are areas of hot weather (the equator and part of the tropics) and giant refrigerators - the Arctic and especially the Antarctic. Between these areas of the Earth there is always a difference in temperature and pressure of the atmosphere, which sets in motion huge masses of air. There is a continuous struggle between warm and cold currents, seeking to equalize the difference arising from changes in temperature and pressure. Sometimes warm air“takes the lead” and penetrates far north to Greenland and even to the pole. In other cases, masses of Arctic air break south to Chernoy and mediterranean seas, reach Central Asia and Egypt. The boundary of struggling air masses represents the most restless regions of our planet's atmosphere.

When the difference in temperature of moving air masses increases, then powerful cyclones and anticyclones appear on the border, generating frequent thunderstorms, hurricanes, and showers.

Modern climatic anomalies like the summer of 2010 in the European part of Russia, and numerous floods in Asia are not something extraordinary. They should not be regarded as harbingers. end soon light, or evidence of global climate change. Let's take an example from history.

In 1956, stormy weather swept the northern and southern hemispheres. In many parts of the world, this has caused natural disasters and sudden changes in the weather. In India, floods on the rivers were repeated several times. Water flooded thousands of villages and washed away crops. The floods affected about 1 million people. The predictions didn't work. Heavy rains, thunderstorms and floods in the summer of that year even affected countries such as Iran and Afghanistan, where there are usually droughts during these months. Especially high solar activity with a peak of radiation in the period 1957-1959 caused an even greater increase in the number of meteorological disasters - hurricanes, thunderstorms, showers.

Everywhere there were sharp contrasts in the weather. For example, in the European part of the USSR for 1957 it turned out to be unusually warm: in January the average temperature was -5 °. In February in Moscow, the average temperature reached -1°C, while the norm was -9°C. At the same time, there were severe frosts in Western Siberia and in the republics of Central Asia. In Kazakhstan, the temperature dropped to -40°. Alma-Ata and other cities of Central Asia were literally covered with snow. In the southern hemisphere - in Australia and Uruguay - in the same months there was an unprecedented heat with dry winds. The atmosphere raged until 1959, when the decline in solar activity began.

The influence of solar flares and the level of solar activity on the state of the flora and fauna affects indirectly: through the cycles of the general circulation of the atmosphere. For example, the width of the layers of sawn wood, which determine the age of the plant, depends mainly on the annual rainfall. In dry years these layers are very thin. The amount of annual precipitation changes periodically, which can be seen on the growth rings of old trees.

Sections made on the trunks of bog oaks (they are found in riverbeds) made it possible to learn the history of the climate several millennia before our time. The existence of certain periods, or cycles, of solar activity confirms the study of materials that are carried by rivers from land and deposited on the bottom of lakes, seas and oceans. An analysis of the state of samples of bottom sediments makes it possible to trace the course of solar activity over hundreds of thousands of years. The relationship between solar activity and natural processes on Earth is very complex and is not united in a general theory.

Scientists have found that fluctuations in solar activity occur in the range from 9 to 14 years

Solar activity affects the level of the Caspian Sea, the salinity of the Baltic Sea and the ice cover of the northern seas. The cycle of increased solar activity is characterized by a low level of the Caspian: an increase in air temperature causes increased evaporation of water and a decrease in the flow of the Volga, the main feeding artery of the Caspian. For the same reason, the salinity of the Baltic Sea has increased and the ice cover of the northern seas has decreased. In principle, scientists can predict the future regime of the northern seas for a number of decades to come.

At present, arguments are often heard that the Arctic Ocean will soon be free of ice and will be suitable for navigation. One should sincerely sympathize with the "knowledge" of "experts" making such claims. Yes, perhaps partially released for a year or two. And then it freezes again. And what did you tell us that we didn't know about? The dependence of the ice cover of the northern seas on cycles and periods of increased solar activity was reliably established more than 50 years ago and confirmed by decades of observations. Therefore, it can be stated with high confidence that the ice will grow in the same way as it melted as the cycle of solar activity passes.

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Monitoring of solar activity and the Earth's geomagnetic situation online by various parameters... As well as maps of the Earth's ozone layer and earthquakes in the world over the past two days, weather and temperature maps.

X-ray emission from the Sun

The X-ray emission from the Sun shows a plot of the Sun's flare activity. X-rays show events on the Sun, used here to track solar activity and solar flares. Large solar X-ray flares can change the Earth's ionosphere, which blocks high frequency (HF) radio transmissions to the sunlit side of the Earth.

Solar flares are also associated with Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), which can eventually lead to geomagnetic storms. SWPC sends space weather alerts at M5 (5x10-5 W/MW) level. Some large flares are accompanied by strong radio bursts that can interfere with other radio frequencies and cause problems for satellite communications and radio navigation (GPS).

Schumann resonances

Schumann resonance is the phenomenon of formation of standing electromagnetic waves of low and ultra-low frequencies between the Earth's surface and the ionosphere.

The Earth and its ionosphere is a giant spherical resonator, the cavity of which is filled with a weakly electrically conductive medium. If an electromagnetic wave that has arisen in this medium after rounding the globe again coincides with its own phase (enters into resonance), then it can exist for a long time.

Schumann resonances

In 1952, after reading Schumann's article on the resonant frequencies of the ionosphere, the German physician Herbert König drew attention to the coincidence of the main resonant frequency of the ionosphere of 7.83 Hz with the range of alpha waves (7.5-13 Hz) of the human brain. It seemed curious to him, and he contacted Schumann. From that moment began their joint research. It turned out that other resonant frequencies of the ionosphere coincide with the main rhythms of the human brain. The thought arose that this coincidence was not accidental. That the ionosphere is a kind of master generator for the biorhythms of all life on the planet, a kind of conductor of an orchestra called life.

And, accordingly, the intensity and any changes in Schumann resonances affect the higher nervous activity of a person and his intellectual abilities, which was proven back in the middle of the last century.

Proton index

Protons are the main energy source of the Universe generated by stars. They take part in thermonuclear reactions, in particular, the reactions of the pp-cycle, which are the source of almost all the energy emitted by the Sun, come down to the combination of four protons into a helium-4 nucleus with the conversion of two protons into neutrons.

proton flux

Electron and proton flux taken from GOES-13 GOES Hp, GOES-13 and GOES-11. High-energy particles can reach Earth anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours after a solar event.

Magnetic field components

GOES Hp is a minute graph containing the averaged parallel components of the Earth's magnetic field in nano Teslas (nT). Measurements: GOES-13 and GOES-15.

cosmic radiation

In 8-12 minutes after large and extreme solar flares, high-energy protons - > 10 MeV, or they are also called - solar cosmic rays (SCR) reach the Earth. The flux of high-energy protons entering the Earth's atmosphere is shown in the present graph. Solar radiation storm can cause malfunctions or breakdowns in equipment spacecraft, disable electronic equipment on Earth, lead to radiation exposure of astronauts, passengers and crews of jet aircraft.

Earth's geomagnetic disturbance

flow amplification solar radiation and the arrival of waves of solar coronal ejections cause strong fluctuations in the geomagnetic field - magnetic storms occur on Earth. The graph shows data from the GOES spacecraft, the level of disturbance of the geomagnetic field is calculated in real time.

auroras

Auroras occur when the solar wind collides with the upper layers earth's atmosphere. Protons cause the diffuse phenomenon Aurora, which propagates along the lines of force of the Earth's magnetic field. Auroras are usually accompanied by a unique crackling sound that has not yet been studied by scientists.

Electrons are excited by accelerating processes in the magnetosphere. The accelerated electrons propagate in the Earth's magnetic field in the polar regions, where they collide with atoms and molecules of oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth's upper atmosphere. In these collisions, the electrons transfer their energy into the atmosphere, thus trapping atoms and molecules into higher energy states. When they relax back down to the lower energy states, they
release energy in the form of light. This is similar to how a neon light bulb works. Auroras occur, as a rule, from 80 to 500 km above the earth's surface.

Ozone layer map

temperature map

World weather

Earthquake map

The map shows earthquakes on the planet in the last 24 hours

Solar activity is a set of phenomena that periodically occur in solar atmosphere. Manifestations of solar activity are associated with the magnetic properties of solar plasma.

What causes solar activity to occur? The magnetic flux gradually increases in one of the regions of the photosphere. Then the brightness in the hydrogen and calcium lines increases here. Such areas are called floccules.

Approximately in the same areas on the Sun in the photosphere (i.e. somewhat deeper), an increase in brightness in white (visible) light is also observed. This phenomenon is called torches.

The increase in energy released in the region of the plume and floccule is a consequence of the increased magnetic field strength.
1-2 days after the appearance of the flocculus in the active area, sunspots in the form of small black dots - pores. Many of them soon disappear, only some pores turn into large dark formations in 2-3 days. A typical sunspot is several tens of thousands of kilometers in size and consists of a dark central part (shadow) and fibrous penumbra.

From the history of the study of sunspots

The first reports of sunspots date back to 800 BC. e. in China, the first drawings date back to 1128. In 1610, astronomers began to use a telescope to observe the Sun. The initial research dealt mainly with the nature of the spots and their behavior. But despite research physical nature spots remained obscure until the 20th century. To XIX century there was already a sufficiently long series of observations of the number of sunspots to determine periodic cycles in the activity of the Sun. In 1845, Professors D. Henry and S. Alexander of Princeton University observed the Sun with a thermometer and determined that the spots emit less radiation than the surrounding regions of the Sun. Later, above-average radiation was determined in the plume regions.

Characteristics of sunspots

The most important feature of spots is the presence of strong magnetic fields reaching the greatest tension in the shadow area. Imagine a tube going into the photosphere lines of force magnetic field. The upper part of the tube expands, and the lines of force in it diverge, like ears of corn in a sheaf. Therefore, around the shadow, the magnetic lines of force take a direction close to horizontal. The magnetic field, as it were, expands the spot from the inside and suppresses the convective movements of the gas, which transfer energy from the depth upwards. Therefore, in the region of the spot, the temperature turns out to be lower by about 1000 K. The spot is, as it were, a hole in the solar photosphere cooled and bound by a magnetic field.
Most often, spots appear in whole groups, but two large spots stand out in them. One, small, is in the west, and the other, smaller, is in the east. Around them and between them there are often many small spots. Such a group of sunspots is called bipolar because large sunspots always have the opposite polarity of the magnetic field. They seem to be connected with the same tube of magnetic field lines, which emerged from under the photosphere in the form of a giant loop, leaving the ends somewhere in the deep layers, it is impossible to see them. The spot from which the magnetic field leaves the photosphere has a north polarity, and the one into which the force field enters back under the photosphere has a south polarity.

Solar flares are the most powerful manifestation of solar activity. They occur in relatively small regions of the chromosphere and corona located above groups of sunspots. Simply put, flare is an explosion caused by sudden contraction of the solar plasma. Compression occurs under the pressure of a magnetic field and leads to the formation of a long plasma rope of tens and even hundreds of thousands of kilometers. The amount of explosion energy is from 10²³ J. The energy source of flares differs from the energy source of the entire Sun. It is clear that flares are of an electromagnetic nature. The energy emitted by the flash in the short-wavelength region of the spectrum consists of ultraviolet and X-rays.
Like any strong explosion, the flare generates a shock wave that propagates upward into the corona and along the surface layers of the solar atmosphere. The radiation of solar flares has a particularly strong effect on the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere and the ionosphere. As a result of this, a whole complex of geophysical phenomena occurs on Earth.

prominences

The most grandiose formations in the solar atmosphere are prominences. These are dense clouds of gases that originate in the solar corona or are ejected into it from the chromosphere. A typical prominence looks like a gigantic luminous arch resting on the chromosphere and formed by jets and flows of matter denser than the corona. The temperature of the prominences is about 20,000 K. Some of them exist in the corona for several months, while others, appearing near the sunspots, move rapidly at speeds of about 100 km/s and exist for several weeks. Individual prominences move at even greater speeds and suddenly explode; they are called eruptive. The sizes of prominences can be different. A typical prominence is about 40,000 km high and about 200,000 km wide.
There are many types of prominences. In photographs of the chromosphere in the red spectral line of hydrogen, prominences are clearly visible on the solar disk in the form of dark long filaments.

Areas on the Sun where intense manifestations of solar activity are observed are called centers of solar activity. The total activity of the Sun changes periodically. There are many ways to assess the level of solar activity. Solar activity index - Wolf numbers W. W= k (f + 10g), where k is a coefficient that takes into account the quality of the instrument and the observations made with it, f is the total number of sunspots observed in this moment on the Sun, g is ten times the number of groups they form.
The epoch when the number of activity centers is greatest is considered the maximum solar activity. And when they are completely or almost absent - a minimum. Highs and lows alternate on average with a period of 11 years - an eleven-year cycle of solar activity.

The impact of solar activity on life on Earth

This influence is very great. A.L. Chizhevsky was the first to investigate this influence in June 1915. Northern lights were observed in Russia and even in North America, and "magnetic storms continuously disrupted the movement of telegrams." During this period, the scientist draws attention to the fact that increased solar activity coincides with bloodshed on Earth. Indeed, immediately after the appearance of large spots on the Sun, hostilities intensified on many fronts of the First World War. He devoted his whole life to these studies, but his book "In the Rhythm of the Sun" remained unfinished and was published only in 1969, 4 years after Chizhevsky's death. He drew attention to the connection between the increase in solar activity and terrestrial cataclysms.
Turning to the Sun with one or the other of its hemisphere, the Earth receives energy. This flow can be represented as a traveling wave: where the light falls - its crest, where it is dark - a failure: energy either increases or decreases.
Magnetic fields and streams of particles that come from sunspots reach the Earth and affect the brain, cardiovascular and circulatory systems of a person, his physical, nervous and psychological state. High level solar activity, its rapid changes excite a person.

Now the influence of solar activity on the Earth is being studied very actively. New sciences have appeared - heliobiology, solar-terrestrial physics - which investigate the relationship of life on Earth, weather, climate with manifestations of solar activity.
Astronomers say the Sun is getting brighter and hotter. This is because its magnetic field activity has more than doubled over the past 90 years, with the largest increase occurring in the past 30 years. Now scientists can predict solar flares, which makes it possible to prepare in advance for possible failures in the operation of radio and electrical networks.

Strong solar activity can lead to the fact that power lines on Earth will fail, the orbits of satellites that ensure the operation of communication systems, "direct" aircraft and ocean liners will change. The solar "riot" is usually characterized by powerful flares and the appearance of many sunspots. Chizhevsky established that during the period of increased solar activity (a large number of spots on the Sun), wars, revolutions, natural disasters, catastrophes, epidemics occur on Earth, and the intensity of bacterial growth increases (“Chizhevsky-Velkhover effect”). Here is what he writes in his book "Terrestrial Echoes of Solar Storms": “The quantity is infinitely great and the quality of the physical and chemical factors of the environment surrounding us from all sides - nature is infinitely diverse. Powerful interacting forces come from outer space. Sun, Moon, planets and an infinite number celestial bodies connected to the Earth by invisible ties. The movement of the Earth is controlled by the forces of gravity, which cause a series of deformations in the air, liquid and solid shells of our planet, make them pulsate, and produce tides. The position of the planets in solar system affects the distribution and intensity of the electric and magnetic forces of the Earth.
But greatest influence The physical and organic life of the Earth is affected by radiations directed towards the Earth from all sides of the Universe. They connect the outer parts of the Earth directly with space environment, make her related to her, constantly interact with her, and therefore both the outer face of the Earth and the life that fills it are the result of creative influence space forces. And therefore the structure earth's shell, its physical chemistry and biosphere are a manifestation of the structure and mechanics of the Universe, and not a random game of local forces. Science infinitely expands the boundaries of our direct perception of nature and our worldview. Not the earth, but outer space become our homeland, and we begin to feel in all its true grandeur the significance for all earthly existence and the movement of distant celestial bodies, and the movement of their messengers - radiation ... "
In 1980, a technique appeared that made it possible to detect the presence of spots in the photospheres of other stars. It turned out that many stars of the spectral type G and K have spots similar to those of the sun, with a magnetic field of the same order. The activity cycles of such stars have been registered and are being studied. They are close to the solar cycle and are 5 - 10 years.

There are hypotheses about the influence of changes in the physical parameters of the Sun on the Earth's climate.

Terrestrial auroras are the visible result of interactions between the solar wind, the solar and terrestrial magnetospheres, and the atmosphere. Extreme events associated with solar activity lead to significant disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field, which causes geomagnetic storms. geomagnetic storms are one of the most important elements of space weather and affect many areas of human activity, from which one can single out the disruption of communications, navigation systems of spacecraft, the occurrence of eddy induction currents in transformers and pipelines, and even the destruction of energy systems.
Magnetic storms also affect the health and well-being of people. The branch of biophysics that studies the effect of changes in the activity of the Sun and the disturbances it causes in the Earth's magnetosphere on terrestrial organisms is called heliobiology.