Space Weather History Keynote: Effects of Solar–Terrestrial Processes on Electrical Technologies

A somewhat personalized overview is presented of the effects of solar-terrestrial processes on electrical technologies. Some personalized aspects stem from the author’s long research career in the telecommunications industry. Solar-terrestrial effects on human technologies are commonly attributed to begin with electrical telegraph communications in the mid-eighteenth century, even though it took several decades for the “connection” of sun-to-telegraph cables to be firmly convincing. More than a century and one-half later, modern society depends on extensive ground- and space-based commercial and governmental technical systems (including national security). Solar-originating processes have the capability to affect both the design and the operations of many of these increasingly complex systems — including interconnected electrical grids, navigation systems, space flight hardware and systems, air flight avionics, long-haul communication cables, and others.