Extended Abstract (36K)1.2
Solar max and the radio wave : MIT Haystack Observatory's multifaceted approach to Space Weather outreach
Madeleine Needles, MIT Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA; and P. J. Erickson and P. Pratap
Modern communication technology depends on radio waves to transmit information. As consumers of this information - using radios, cell phones, GPS, etc, - the general public is heavily dependent on radio waves, yet most have little idea of the devastating effects that a large solar storm can have on this technology. Space weather as a means of predicting solar events and their effect on Earth's upper atmosphere will become increasingly important to us as we approach the next period of solar maximum, when the Sun's activity level rises. In recent years, scientists at MIT Haystack Observatory have worked on a multi -faceted approach to introduce the public to space weather and how it can affect us. This presentation will discuss projects with a local children's museum and local teachers, and the use of video podcasts to make space weather a more common concept. Full-text resources that have been created and are available on the Internet will be discussed.
Session 1, Informal Educational Outreach
Monday, 21 January 2008, 1:30 PM-2:30 PM, 209
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