Significant Space Weather Events during the Rising Phase of the 23rd Solar Cycle
Abstract
The rising phase of the current solar cycle offers us a unique opportunity to study different space weather phenomena in extremely wide spatial and temporal ranges. Numerous space- and ground-based measurements produce a lot of continuous data covering different parts of the solar-terrestrial "connection chain". This chain may be divided into four main space weather parts: solar events, interplanetary disturbances, geomagnetic perturbations, technological and biological damage. Information about solar X-ray flares, solar and galactic cosmic ray variations (GLE, Forbush effects), solar wind plasma variations, geosynchronous magnetopause crossings, geomagnetic disturbances (Dst, Kp, Ap, PC indices), relativistic electron fluxes in the upper magnetosphere, radiation doses and data failures in the equipment onboard the MIR station, is used here to characterize different parts of the solar-terrestrial chain and to identify more than 700 perturbed days during the years 1997-2000. Using this time period we select 57 significantly disturbed space weather intervals where at least two of the four parts of the solar-terrestrial chain is disturbed. These intervals demonstrate different patterns of the space weather dynamics and its development from the Sun to the Earth. Some of them are caused by strong X-ray solar flares. Others originate just from the interplanetary medium without any visible manifestations of significant solar activity. Inter-comparison of the selected space weather events is presented and their classification is discussed.
- Publication:
-
34th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002cosp...34E1169D