More field trip notes
September 18, 2009
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
Not an in-depth tour, but it was interesting to learn the ramifications that geomagnetic disturbances emanating from the sun can have on things we take for granted on earth. Particularly the grid and GPS systems. Also, the material ejected from coronal flares can cause airlines to redirect flights over the polar regions to avoid excessive radiation exposure to the crews (who are at greater risk because they fly the routes more frequently than most passengers.) “What do the airlines tell passengers when a flight is redirected?” (and therefore longer) “Oh, they just say it is weather conditions,” said our guide, “they sure don’t use the word ‘radiation’.”
Gunsmoke and Knitting 
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