Solar Maximum: Can We Weather the Storm?

I ran across this item today which sounds interesting. And at a reasonable fee of $50 per person for the one day event, it should be something worthwhile for those who are able to attend:

PROGRAM:

The National Space Weather Program (NSWP) Council is organizing the next Space Weather Enterprise Forum scheduled for June 21, 2011 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Our theme this year is, Solar Maximum: Can We Weather the Storm?

As we approach the next peak of solar activity expected in 2013, our Nation faces multiplying uncertainties from increasing reliance on space weather-affected technologies for communications, navigation, security, and other activities, many of which underpin our national infrastructure and economy. We also face increased exposure to space weather-driven human health risk as trans-polar flights and space activities, including space tourism, increase.

Some of the sessions planned for the event include:

Critical Infrastructure Vulnerability to Space Weather

Human Safety and Response Preparedness

Space Weather Warnings and Prediction Services

Strategic Communications, Education, and Outreach

Wish it was being held in my area. Should be an interesting day for participants.


for more information go here

This is just propaganda so they can get more funding for space weather forecasts..
The current solar maximum is/is going to be lowest in a century, so the chances of a catastrophic flare hitting earth is much lower than previous solar cycles that we all survived just nicely.

Personally i am getting a bit sick of these threads hyping even events that are extremely common and normal.

reply to post by juleol

The Carrington event, the largest recorded geomagnetic storm, occurred during solar cycle 10. Solar cycle 10 had a maximum sunspot number of 97.3, below average. The current cycle (24) is predicted to have a maxium sunspot number of 90, below average.

The number of sunspots does not correlate with the intensity of solar or geomagnetic activity. There could be another Carrington event next month or not for 500 years. There is no way of knowing. However, it doesn't take a Carrington event to cause problems. In 1989 the power grid in Québec suffered a major outage due to geomagnetic activity.

reply to post by juleol


You must have some interesting credentials to make that kind of statement.

And thank you Phage for your input. Always appreciated.