Investigating Solar Drivers of Space Weather

Abstract

Solar activity modulates the near-Earth space environment a phenomena known newlineas space weather. Among the different types of solar activity, solar flares, coronal newlinemass ejections, and filament eruptions are significant drivers of space weather. newlineFlares release an immense amount of energy in terms of electromagnetic radiation newlineand are frequently associated with solar energetic particles (SEPs), which travel at newlinerelativistic speeds through the heliosphere. They take only a few minutes to reach newlineEarth. Flares can cause adverse space weather impacts on space and ground based newlinetechnologies. The increased levels of radiation due to SEP can severely impact astronauts newlinehealth and satellite s sensors if they are not shielded adequately. The newlineother drivers, CMEs, carry magnetized plasma from the Sun to the interplanetary newlinespace. While passing through the Earth, CMEs can interact with the Earth s magnetic newlinefield and inject energy and charged particles into Earth s atmosphere causing newlineadverse space weather condition known as geomagnetic storms. The ability to newlineproduce a geomagnetic storm is referred to geoeffectiveness of a CME. This geoeffectiveness newlinemainly depends on the CME speed, mass, magnetic field strength and newlineorientation of the magnetic field (Bz). Filament eruptions also often lead to flare- newlineCME events and impact space weather. newlineA geomagnetic storm has various consequences on Earth. It induces large currents newlinein the ionosphere and conductors on Earth, e.g., underground pipelines, power newlinetransmission cables, etc. These large induced currents can damage transformers newlinewhich lead to power grid failures, and increase in atmospheric temperature causing newlinean expansion of the upper atmosphere. The atmospheric expansion imposes a newlinehigher drag on satellites, which can deorbit satellites in extreme cases. With the newlineadvancement of space reliant technologies, we are becoming more and more exposed newlineto space weather consequences. Therefore predicting space weather is crucial for our newlinepreparedness for geomagnetic storms and other hazardous effects of