Solar Flares, Space Climate, and Life on Other Planets

Speaker: Dr. David McKenzie (NASA/MSFC)

Abstract:
Space Weather is a term describing the effects at Earth (or Mars, or the Moon) resulting from solar activity.  Flares and eruptions from the Sun can have disastrous impacts on our electronic technology, as the magnetic fields and energetic charged particles arriving from the Sun can lead to failures in sensitive electronic components, power grids, pipelines, and radio communications.  And just as atmospheric weather and climate provide conditions which can be friendly – or unfriendly – to the formation and survival of life, Space Weather and Space Climate are critical factors in determining the suitability of a planet for supporting life.  In this talk, we’ll look at some of the effects of Space Weather and Space Climate, and introduce some of the things we’re doing to learn more, including an investigation into the habitability of distant planets.