Introduction
Hello! This is a WebQuest about geomagnetic storms. I am myself very interested in northern lights, because I think they are very beautiful and in some way a miracle. I even thought about studying geography in order to learn more about northern lights, but it turns out - they belong to physics. There was not much information about northern lights and even if there was, it was only about legends and cultural staff. Geomagnetic storms are related to northern lights.
I think that it is very important to learn more about geomagnetic storms and northern lights, because people think that physics is only about atoms, mechanics and some laws, but they often forget about space and other things around us. Even my teacher forgot about this, so this time I can help you to learn about this.
Task
This is a material, which should help to learn more about geomagnetic storms. At first, you can read an article about this and later watch a video and complete a task. I believe that video materials really help people to learn, because there is visual, audio and practical learning at once.
History.
The discovery of geomagnetic storms:
1. Graham in 1724;
2. Oersted in 1820 thatelectric currents produce magnetic forces electric currents;
3. The law of Ampère’s force in 1821
4. Electromagnetic induction by Faraday in1831.
Alexander von Humboldt (1769 Alexander von Humboldt (1769 -1859) used 1859) used “magnetisches Ungewitter magnetisches Ungewitter ” (magnetic thunderstorms) to (magnetic thunderstorms) to describe the variability of geomagnetic needles, which were describe the variability of geomagnetic needles, which were associated with the occurrence of associated with the occurrence of “light meteor, light meteor, ” (auroras). (auroras). He thought that magnetic dist He thought that magnetic disturbances and auroras are two urbances and auroras are two manifestations of the same phenomenon. manifestations of the same phenomenon. It was found that the storm It was found that the storm -time disturbance generally time disturbance generally reduces the daily mean value of the horizontal intensity. reduces the daily mean value of the horizontal intensity. During the First Polar Year (1882 During the First Polar Year (1882 -1883), scientists defined 1883), scientists defined “geomagnetic storms geomagnetic storms ” as intense, irregular as intense, irregular variabilities variabilities of geomagnetic field which occur geomagnetic field which occur as a consequence of solar as a consequence of solar disturbances.
Types.
1. Storms. They have low lattitude and Inner magnetosphere.
2. Substorms. They have high lattitudes and magnetotail.
Process
Watch this video about geomagnetic storms and answer to these questions:
1. With what can large magnetic storm interfere with?
2. How does the Sun weather work?
3. Why sometimes the needle of the compass move?
4. What do NASA and NOAA do?
5. What does the USGS do?
6. Where are the USGS Magnetic Observatories located?
7. What are USGS customers?
8. Why is it important to know space weather when drilling in groun to find oil?
9. What new project has USGS taken?
10. Why is space weather always going to be important for our society?
Evaluation
Answers to the questions:
1. Large magnetic storms can interfere with radio communication, GPS systems, with the operation and orientation of satellites. Astronouts can be affected with some radiation, occasional blackouts.
2. It starts from the Sun, it is brought to the Earth by solar wind from the Sun, and the solar wind interacts with the Eath's magnetic field.
3. Because the magnetic field can be dependable and it can change. The needle can move or vibrate.
4. They are responsible for monitoring the Sun and they are responsible for space-based monitoring of space weather.
5. They have a very unique role. They monitor space weather from the ground.
6. They are located across the United States including their territories in the Pacific and Puerto Rico.
7. The customers are other federal agencies, private entities that are involved with the operation of technological systems that could be affected by space weather.
8. Because the process is liable and they need to understand, where the magnetic field is and space weather can influence that.
9. The project is mapping geomagnetic hazards.
10. Space weather represents a hazard and a challange for the operation of technological systems.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the first step of understanding how important geomagnetic storms and space weather are! If you now think that it is fun and interesting, I highly recommend learning more, because you will definitely benefit from it. One way, how to learn more about this, is watching more youtube video like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKtPBi4zGN8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66p_IvjHXhE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0zLuvlIXhs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZlfxWMr7nc - this one you can watch also if you ares stressed out or just want to enjoy nice music and beautiful view!
I really hope that you enjoyed this WebQuest and perhaps will learn more about this. If you fins something interesting, give me a ahnd, I would like to know more!
Credits
This material was taken form the Internet, some books and youtube.com. It is allowed to use this material in lessons for students. Enjoy!