Space Weather Group
Founded in 2016 as a subsection of the Millersville University Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society, the Millersville Space Weather Group promotes research and education in heliophysics and space weather. The Space Weather Group is currently conducting research and testing of high-altitude balloon payloads to measure solar flux in the upper atmosphere to further our understanding of the Earth-Sun system.
SOCIETAL IMPACTS OF SPACE WEATHER
"As our dependence on complex, advanced technology increases, so does our vulnerability to space weather. Space weather is a global-scale phenomenon with the demonstrated ability to disrupt high-frequency radio signals, satellite-based communications, navigational satellite positioning and timing signals, spacecraft operations, and electric power delivery with cascading socioeconomic effects resulting from these disruptions."
Space Weather Group conducts high-altitude balloon measurements
A small group of Millersville Meteorology majors known as the Space Weather Group conducted several launchs of a balloon carrying a payload of instruments for measuring X-rays, Gamma rays, and ultraviolet (UV) rays, and a radiosonde for measuring air temperature, altitude, relative humidity, and wind speed/direction.
Contact Us
For information on the Space Weather Group or questions about our work, please contact:
Email: millersvillespaceweather@gmail.com
Facebook: @MUSpaceWx
Twitter: @MUspacewx
Phone (Department of Earth Sciences): (717)-871-4359
Latest SDO Images
Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.
HMI Magnetogram
This image comes from HMI, another instrument on SDO. It shows the magnetic field directions near the surface of the Sun. White and black areas indicate opposite magnetic polarities, with white showing north (outward) polarity and black showing south (inward) polarity.
AIA 193
This channel highlights the outer atmosphere of the Sun - called the corona - as well as hot flare plasma. Hot active regions, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections will appear bright here. The dark areas - called coronal holes - are places where very little radiation is emitted, yet are the main source of solar wind particles.
AIA 094
This channel (as well as AIA 131) is designed to study solar flares. It measures extremely hot temperatures around 6 million Kelvin (10.8 million F). It can take images every 2 seconds (instead of 10) in a reduced field of view in order to look at flares in more detail.