|
|
 |
 Space Weather Policy Issues
What is Space Weather?
What are Space Weather Policy Issues?
Current Activities at AMS Policy Program
What is Space Weather?
"Space weather" refers to conditions on the sun and in the solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere that can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems and can endanger human life or health. Solar and geomagnetic events can impact many different sectors that affect our daily lives--navigation, satellites, communications, pipelines, electric power systems, and human health in space and flight.
What are Space Weather Policy Issues?
As we move into the twenty-first century, our society is becoming more dependent on activities and technology that are affected by conditions in the space environment. In large part, these dependencies have not been anticipated, and in some cases, are substantial. At the same time, emerging science and new technologies have created new opportunities for monitoring the space environment and predicting periods of hazard. As a result, several U.S. government agencies developed the National Space Weather Program (NSWP) in 1996. The overarching goal of the NSWP is to achieve an active, synergistic, interagency system to provide timely, accurate, and reliable space environment observations, specifications, and forecasts within the next 10 years.
Consider these examples:
- the electrical power distribution system has developed an increased susceptibility to the phenomenon of geomagnetically induced currents because of widespread grid interconnection, complex electronic controls and technologies, and large inter-area power transfers;
- significant errors in the Global Positioning System (GPS) can result when the signals are reflected and slowed by ionospheric conditions significantly different from the norm; and
- high altitude aircraft crews and passengers on polar routes are susceptible to loss of radio communications (and radiation hazards) during large geomagnetic storms.
The science and technology of space weather are developing rapidly. However, the policy implications have not thoroughly been assessed. For example,
- What can government do to prevent regional blackouts of power utilities? What are the costs and benefits of mitigation measures? How can the infusion of these scientific advances into operational space weather services be accelerated?
- Individual utilities and space operators are concerned about their vulnerabilities, yet reluctant to share information. How can these communities develop mechanisms for surfacing industry-wide problems without putting individual firms at competitive risk?
- How can the federal government assess the overall societal threats, both in magnitude and urgency, and scale the appropriate investments in space weather services and supporting R&D?
- How can the government improve the transition from research to operations?
- Where do liabilities lie with respect to space weather induced problems?
- What are the roles of the public, private, and academic sectors?
- What are the economic impacts of space weather?
Currently, little policy framework exists tailored to aid the decisions of either the government or private enterprise in this area. It is important that the scientific community is prepared to fully participate in the challenging opportunities that lie ahead, including communicating to policy makers, making sound public policy decisions, and communicating science to the public.
Current Activities within the AMS Policy Program
The AMS Policy Program is equipping the scientific community and policy makers to deal with many policy issues related to meteorology and climate. Policy issues such as the public-private sector partnership, data sharing, uncertainty, transition from research to operations, and cost-benefit analyses are just a few of the issues that meteorologists have been dealing with for decades. These experiences and lessons learned can be applied to other emerging scientific fields.
As the field of space weather progresses, it appears to have many commonalties with the meteorological field. Both fields consist of research (ground-based and satellite observations, models) and operations (forecasting models, services and products). Additionally, both fields consist of relationships involving multiple federal agencies, the private sector, and the international community. Already, the space weather field is involved in similar policy issues that the meteorological field continues to face. Therefore the space weather community may choose to look at the meteorological field for guidelines in developing prosperous partnerships.
Dr. Genene Fisher is conducting a policy study on integrating space weather observations and forecasts into airline operations with support from the NSF (ATM-0517814). This research, in collaboration with Bryn Jones at SolarMetrics Limited, will lead to recommendations that will increase the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the nation's airline operations through more effective use of space weather forecasts and information. For more information on this study click here.
For more information, please contact Genene Fisher, fisher@ametsoc.org, 202-737-9006 x422.
|
