Enhancing Preparedness for Space-Weather Events

Our Nation’s security, economic vitality, and daily functioning depend on the reliable operations of satellites and aircraft, communications networks, navigation systems, and the electric power grid. As these and other, similar technologies and infrastructures become increasingly ubiquitous and interdependent, the United States – and indeed, the world – faces greater risks from the threats posed by space weather events.

Space weather refers to variations in the space environment between the sun and Earth (and throughout the solar system). In particular, space weather describes the phenomena – solar flares, solar energetic particles, and coronal mass ejections – that impact systems in orbit and on Earth. In recent years, the Obama Administration has played an active role in maintaining and advancing the Nation’s ability to forecast and mitigate the various impacts of space weather. This work has included taking steps to replace aging satellite assets essential to monitoring and forecasting space weather, proposing space-weather standards for both the national and international air space, developing regulations to ensure the continued operation of the electric grid during an extreme space weather event, proposing a new option for replacing crucial Extra High Voltage (EHV) transformers damaged by space weather, and developing domestic production sources for EHV transformers.

Yet gaps remain in our capacity to understand, model, predict, respond to, and recover from space-weather events. That’s why today, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is hosting the event “Space Weather: Understanding Potential Impacts and Building Resilience,” with the goals of bringing together Federal and external stakeholders to discuss space weather preparedness and related science and technology efforts, and to raise awareness of the importance of being prepared for space-weather events. Anyone interested is encouraged to tune in live to the event from 2pm-5pm ET at WhiteHouse.gov/live, follow OSTP’s coverage of the event, and participate using the hashtag #SpaceWeather.

At the event, OSTP Director John Holdren is announcing the release of the National Space Weather Strategy and the National Space Weather Action Plan. These two documents were developed by an interagency group of experts, with input from stakeholders outside the Federal government, to clearly articulate how the Federal government will work to enhance national space-weather preparedness by coordinating, integrating, and expanding existing policy efforts; engaging a broad range of sectors; and collaborating with international counterparts. The Strategy identifies goals and establishes the guiding principles that will guide these efforts in both the near and long term, while the Action Plan identifies specific activities, outcomes, and timelines that the Federal government will pursue accordingly. The Action Plan broadly aligns with investments proposed in the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2016 and will be reevaluated and updated within 3 years of the date of publication or as needed.

In addition, both Federal agencies and non-Federal entities are announcing new actions to further enhance national space-weather preparedness. These actions include:

• The U.S. Air Force, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will make publicly available space environment data to validate and improve space-weather forecasting.
• The Administration, in keeping with national priorities of opening up government information and using innovation and technology to support disaster response and recovery, is launching a Space Weather Data Initiative.
• The Department of State is committing to hosting a series of international workshops and meetings, based in DC, to increase international collaboration around space-weather preparedness.
• The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is ensuring that space-weather is incorporated into guidance documents for transportation-security and emergency-management officials.
• The National Emergency Management Association is increasing its space-weather training and education efforts.
• Airlines for America is committing to educate the commercial aviation community on space weather and its effects.

Together, these efforts will facilitate the integration of space-weather considerations into planning and decision-making at all levels, ensuring that the United States is appropriately prepared for and resilient to future space-weather events.
Enhancing National Preparedness to Space-Weather Events | whitehouse.gov

 

If a giant solar flare hit the Earth, it could knock out the entire power grid, meaning no more new Justin Bieber singles, no more televised presidential debates, and no more Facebook photos of babies.

But it wouldn't be all good news. The Washington Post reports the electromagnetic pulse—or EMP—created by such an event could wipe out electricity for months on end, creating a global catastrophe.

That's why the White House released its National Space Weather Strategy on Thursday. According to the Houston Chronicle, the multiagency plan details how the US will prepare for—and deal with—a massive EMP from space weather.

The six-step plan requires government agencies, schools, the media, the insurance industry, nonprofits, and more to work together. In other words: We might be doomed. “This is a real and present danger," the White House's assistant director for space weather tells the Post. Back in 1859, a huge solar storm did impact Earth and caused some sparking telegraph lines. The National Academy of Sciences says something like that today could mean a $2 trillion economic hit. Something like that almost did happen in 2012, when NASA says we were nearly hit by two large plasma clouds. "If it had hit, we would still be picking up the pieces," one physicist says. The White House's new plan calls for the US to get better at predicting space weather, shore up our infrastructure against EMPs, and more, the Chronicle reports. It's a plan we may truly need: The Post quotes NASA as stating there's a 12% chance of a giant solar flare in the next 10 years. (Escape doomsday in a luxury missile silo.)

The White House is preparing for catastrophic solar flares | Fox News

 

See also -
US Mil Runs exercise simulating a CME event and Amateur Radio ops | Survival Forums
dot mil seems to be thinking --

 

And the bigger problem for the .gov...... the government would not have us plugged into their electronic media they jam down our throat with propaganda...... ohh my, the sheep may realize they have been misled by TPTB!!

 

HF was dead most of today, and I suspect it will worse tomorrow.... Usually takes about four Days to for things to settle down after such a hit.... The Sweds lost an AirRoute Radar for a few Hours at the height of the GeoMagnetic Storm...

 

It pays to have alternative power for refrigeration and dyno powered radios. Your wind and solar alternatives don't have to be up immediately, but within a few days there will be no "Fresh" meat available anywhere unless you are raising it,

I take these threats very seriously, and have alternatives available....

 

It was a CME. The gurus think the worst effects are to start today. I have not checked.

 

Not a major storm....there will be some disruptions.

 

As usual the blabbering Heads, over thought the effects, that might, or might NOT, happen due to a Solar Flare, that they thought might be coming toward our Planet.... OR also might just miss us, altogether... Oh well, better Luck Next Time, Boys.....