Questions tagged [solar-wind]
The solar wind is a stream of plasma released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun. It consists of mostly electrons, protons and alpha particles with energies usually between 1.5 and 10 keV.
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Collecting suns cosmic rays
Is it possible to collect the Sun's cosmic rays positive and negative particles in different coils , using electromagnetic coils, 50 meter diameter collimating coils with solar cells to power the EM ...
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Why didn't SpaceX see that geomagnetic storm coming? Was this a fluke or could this happen more frequently in the future? (R.I.P. 40 lost starlinks)
Ars Technica's SpaceX loses up to 40 satellites to geomagnetic storm after Starlink launch explains that a geomagnetic storm heated Earth's upper atmosphere (circa 200 km) so much that the aerodynamic ...
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Where is the Wind going? Where has it been? (Global Geospace Science spacecraft 1994-071A)
This excellent answer to Why put DSCOVR in a Lissajous orbit? Wouldn't a halo orbit completely avoid the Sun exclusion zone? explains that the Global Geospace Science or Wind spacecraft ...
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Would a system of geosynchronous magnetic field satelites around Mars protect it from solar wind?
My entire life I've been obsessed with space travel, for the passed few years I've liked the idea of terraforming. I've learned a lot lately and i think I'm ready to begin research for some ...
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Are the JWST solar panels protected from solar flares?
Are the JWST solar panels protected from solar flares and would massive flares reduce the life of the JWST?
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Could a Dyson-Harrop Stellar Wind Power Satellite generate a magnetic shield for Mars?
One of the major difficulties in creating an artificial magnetic shield for Mars is in providing power to sustain current in a massive loop.
A Dyson-Harrop satellite is designed to generate energy ...
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Science Contest Topic (space exploration)
I'm thinking of entering the Breakthrough Junior Challenge. It is a global science video contest in which participants have to explain a hard science/math topic in a 3 min video. Right now I'm ...
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How to calculate the solar irradiance (flux) on Mars. But,measurments are made at Earth orbit or at 1 AU
There are many satellites measuring the solar flux in EUV and X-ray at 1 AU (Ex: SDO, SOHO, etc).
In the case of Mars: MAVEN looking sun in a small band of EUV and X-ray at Mars. Is there any approach,...
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Solar wind density in LEO
Does anyone know where I can find real (not approximate) solar wind data in LEO? I am particularly interested in the density and current of electrons
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Ramscoop for a space station or lunar base?
From what I've read, the Bussard ramscoop has problems which make it impractical as a means of propulsion. However, would it be possible to use it for a different purpose? Could a space station or ...
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In terms of satellite networks What exactly are RTSWnet/AFSCN and CDAS (NEN, DSN as needed)? Are they like TDRS but for strictly military data?
Question: In terms of satellite networks What exactly are RTSWnet/AFSCN and CDAS (NEN, DSN as needed)? Are they like TDRS but for strictly military data?
BACKGROUND:
In this answer to Why Are EPIC/...
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Influence of solar wind and radiation pressure on a sail
Solar wind is composed of a mixture of materials travelling between 250 and 750 km per second.
Radiation pressure involves electromagnetic field travelling at light speed.
If considering a sail in ...
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Comparison of Titan to Europa
Why does Titan have an atmosphere denser than that of the Earth?
And why does Europa not have even a fraction of Titans atmosphere given that it is not that small as compared to Titan?
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Is the Heliosphere as elliptical as this graphic suggests?
I noticed the following graphic being used in an article discussing the Voyager probes. It also appears on Wikipedia's Heliosphere page:
The same page states that:
On a broader scale, the motion ...
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Why exactly would "permanently shadowed polar lunar craters... have substantially higher levels of ³He than sunlit lunar surfaces?"
Researching this answer led to ³He in permanently shadowed lunar polar surfaces published in Icarus. The abstract is tantalizing but terse:
Abstract
Because of their cryogenic temperatures, analysis ...
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How will PUNCH produce 3D images of CMEs from LEO?
According to the Eureka Alert NASA selects SwRI's PUNCH mission to image beyond the Sun's outer corona:
The four spacecraft will fly in a distributed formation spread around the globe, operating in ...
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How quick was the solar wind particle decrease detected by Voyager 1?
In the graph below, does each dot represent the passage of six hours? If so, does that mean the last dramatic decrease in solar wind particles, from ≈24 particles/sec to ≈10 particles/sec occurred ...
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When do aircraft become solarcraft?
Any body travelling through particles undergoes drag. Any body able to generate lift (for instance spheres cannot generate lift) can generate lift if it undergoes drag.
First by assuming one body in ...
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Capture protons from solar wind
Could it be possible ( using a reasonable amount of energy and ressources ) to capture protons from solar wind on (ex. the moon) in order to produce water for a long term self-sufficient mission. The ...
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Would the Voyager probes go backwards affected by the strong interstellar wind beyond Heliosphere?
The Heliosheath is the solar wind piles up as it presses outward against the approaching wind in interstellar space. It seems the balance in pressure between Heliopause and interstellar wind causes ...
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How much solar wind (mass) hits Mercury's north pole?
I understand the solar wind impacts and sputters the surface of Mercury's north pole due to it's magnetic field deflecting it around the planet.
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Could a spacecraft be propelled by the deflection of a very high number of charged particles?
I am wondering if a spacecraft could be propelled through interplanetary space via the deflection and/or displacement of a very high number of charged particles contained within the Sun's solar wind.
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ISS mass gain or loss due to meteoroids, solar wind, and other particles?
A few questions about the mass of the ISS (1, 2, 3) have got me thinking about mass change of the ISS due to natural processes.
The ISS has quite a large area exposed to space, and is subject to both ...
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Could the interaction of the Sun’s solar wind and trapped plasma ions be used to propel a rocket through interplanetary space?
I have recently had a renewed interest in comets and how comet tails are formed. From studying this process, a thought occurred to me that perhaps plasma ions can be created within a long hollow ...
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How can a solar storm be predicted?
Satellites like DSCOVR are used to predict solar storms.
How does that work? If the satellite is orbiting L1 and "watches" the sun, how can the signal be back on earth before a storm arrives?
How ...
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solar systems "Bow Wave" [closed]
could communication with the voyagers eventually be lost due to the solar systems "Bow Wave" Seems this Bow Wave looks like the one that astronaut's capsule's create upon reentry into earths ...
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Atmospheric effects on a space elevator
Were I able to build a space elevator (ignoring for the moment that I can't due to current material science etc), what issues would there be relating to atmospheric conditions? Presumably it would be ...
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Comet at Mars L1
If we placed and maintained a comet at Mars L1 point would we get a coma and tail that would add volatiles to the Martian atmosphere? I've also read comets create a bow shock with the solar wind, ...
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How much radiation shielding would be required for a habitat at Mercury–Sun L5?
Given an O'Neill "Island Three" style cylindrical habitat located at Mercury–Sun L5 orbit, how much radiation shielding would be required to protect the occupants, and how would it need to be ...
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What happens to satellites over a million years
I am curious to know what will happen to an average satellite over a 1 million year time span.
Firstly, how high does the perigee need to be in order to not deorbit due to atmospheric friction ...
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Is there any safety advantage/disadvantage to a particular attitude of a vessel in space?
Is there any safety advantage/disadvantage to a particular attitude in space - lined up with the sun, sideways, tumbling or spinning?
Assuming a long cylindrical space craft on a long journey within ...
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How to check, if there is currently an increased solar activity?
I've got an email, that because of the increased solar activity, more cosmic ray-s are hitting the earth. And for this reason, humans experience more stress and headache.
I know, it's not true. But I ...
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How does the Parker Solar Probe's heat shield protect it from dust near the sun?
In this answer the survival of the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft passing as close as 9 solar radii from the Sun's surface is discussed. Using guestimates for apoapsis and periapsis of 1.1 $a_{venus}$,...
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Is it possible to launch a satellite into orbit with a solar sail and a weather balloon using the magnetic poles?
At the poles the solar wind directly impinges. Suppose we put a solar sail satellite in a weather balloon at one of the poles. When it reaches the maximum altitude (~50km) it opens the solar sail and ...
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Would a nuclear propelled spaceship still need a storm shelter?
Assume you have a sophisticated nuclear (thermal or whatever comes to mind) propelled spaceship for your summer vacation on Mars. Half way there Houston calls and informs you about an inbound solar ...
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Place a satellite at Sun-Mars L1 to shield Mars from Sun radiation
Instead of placing many magnetic satellites close to Mars to artificially generate a magnetic field to protect Martian colonists from harming radiation, we could place a magnetic satellite at ...
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How does Venus' thick atmosphere survive against the solar wind?
The traditional explanation for rocky inner planets and large gaseous outer planets is that the outer planets are farther from the Sun, and therefore can hold onto large atmospheres that don't get ...
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How can solar wind be supersonic?
I was reading this Wikipedia article on Heliosphere and was confused a bit:
this supersonic wind must slow down to meet the gases in the interstellar medium
How can sonic speeds exist in space? ...
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Does solar wind have any influence on probes?
I know that because of the Earth's magnetosphere, we are largely isolated from the influences of the solar winds. But what happens when a probe leaves the Earth's atmosphere and travels inward through ...
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Can electricity be generated from solar storms
If a satellite covered with a thick layer of copper, were to go straight through a solar storm in the opposing direction, would the satellite produce electricity, provided the copper(or other suitable ...
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Durability of solar sails. How big of a problem is high-energy proton flux?
When we think of solar sails, I guess we mostly think of using radiation pressure of our closest star to achieve thrust, gracefully leaning on it with a large area sail of incredibly light and thin ...
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What is the average electrical charge on the lunar surface?
Known facts:
The lunar surface is covered by regolith.
The Solar wind imparts a charge to the lunar surface
Wikipedia says
On the daylit side of the Moon, solar ultraviolet and X-ray radiation ...
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Would a solar windmill in space be practical?
From this question we know that solar cells be problematic the farther you get from the sun. We know that solar sails provide viable propulsion far from the sun.
Would it be practical to use a solar ...
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