Question 1
Prominences and solar flares present dangers to astronauts primarily because ________.
◦ they can overheat the spacecraft
◦ they disrupt communications on Earth
◦ they do not pose a danger to astronauts
◦ they pose a radiation danger from X-rays and gamma rays, but primarily from high-energy particle emissions
Question 2
If solar flares pose a danger to orbiting spacecraft and astronauts, how much warning is there for the danger?
◦ There is no warning; the radiation arrives at the same time as the feature is observed because they all travel at the speed of light.
◦ The primary danger is from high energy particles that travel at the speed of the solar wind 500km/s, so there is ample warning of 3-5 days.
◦ The danger is primarily from emission of neutrinos, which move at just below the speed of light; hence the warning is only a few seconds after a feature is observed.
◦ The danger is from high energy particles moving thousands of km per second, so the warning is a few hours.
History of the number of observed sunspots during the last 250 years, which shows the ~11-year solar
A warning sticker on an E85 pump warning to only use this fuel in vehicles designated as flexible ...
The Fate of Solar Radiation
Oil Pressure Warning Lamp
Solar updraft towers
Crewed mission spacecraft.