A Brief History of U.S. Federal Involvement in Space Weather

Over the past decade, public awareness of space weather and its potential to negatively affect multiple infrastructures that society relies on for the provision of services (e.g. the electric grid, telecommunications, and satellites) has grown through increased media coverage and scientific research. However, Federal involvement in space weather research, observations, and forecasting dates back much further. In the 1920s, research staff at the Bureau of Standards sought to understand the connection between solar disturbances and wireless signal instability. This research led to efforts in the 1930s to predict and provide warnings of solar bursts that could interfere with high frequency (HF) radio transmissions. This work would prove to be crucial during the Second World War when reliable radio communications were essential to the war effort. This talk summarizes an analysis of reports, articles, and agency white papers that, together, cover the history of Federal involvement in space weather forecasting from the early part of the 20th century through the end of the Second World War.