Notetaker: Space Environment

Question 1

Karman Line

Answer 1

International Standard
100km (62 miles) above Earth’s surface

Question 2

USSPACECOM domain

Answer 2

U.S. Government Standard
100km (62 miles) above mean sea lvel

Question 3

Exobase

Answer 3

Scientific Community Standard
500 to 1,000 km (310-620 miles) above Earth’s surface

Question 4

The sun is composed of what?

Answer 4

1. Hydrogen
2. Helium
3. Misc Gases

Question 5

The sun is made of 74.9% of what?

Answer 5

Hydrogen

Question 6

The sun is made of 23.8% of what?

Answer 6

Helium

Question 7

The sun is made of 1.3% of what?

Answer 7

Misc gases

Question 8

The sun creates energy through what?

Answer 8

Nuclear Fusion

Question 9

Core

Answer 9

Rotates like a solid and is where fusion occurs

Question 10

Radiative Zone

Answer 10

Rotates like a fluid and radiates energy

Question 11

Tachocline

Answer 11

Generates magnetic field lines and stores magnetic flux

Question 12

Convective Zone

Answer 12

Rotates like a fluid and transfers heat through convection

Question 13

Photosphere

Answer 13

Known as the “surface” and is responsible for 99% of solar radiation

Question 14

Atmosphere

Answer 14

Has 4 sublayers all of which are only visible during an eclipse

Question 15

What is referred to as “Quiet Sun?”

Answer 15

Solar Minimum

Question 16

Solar Minimum

Answer 16

• Few to zero sunspots
• Dimmer EUV & x-rays
• Minimum flaring/CME

Question 17

What is referred to as “Active Sun?”

Answer 17

Solar Maximum

Question 18

Solar Maximum

Answer 18

• Many sunspots
• Brighter EUV & x-rays
• Frequent flaring/CME

Question 19

Solar Wind

Answer 19

A stream of charged particles released from the Corona

Question 20

What solar hazard takes ~3 days to arrive?

Answer 20

Solar Wind

Question 21

What causes auroras and the plasma trails on comets?

Answer 21

Solar Wind

Question 22

Solar Flare

Answer 22

A sudden burst of high energy particles and radiation

Question 23

What solar hazard travels at the speed of light and arrives in ~8 minutes?

Answer 23

Solar Flare

Question 24

What is responsible for increased atmospheric drag on LEO, the ionosphere becoming more charged, increased GPS errors, and a source of Radio Blackout Storms?

Answer 24

Solar Flare

Question 25

Solar Energetic Particles

Answer 25

High energy particles emanating from the Sun outside the standard solar wind

Question 26

What solar hazard arrival varies from 15 minutes to 24 hours?

Answer 26

Solar Energetic Particles

Question 27

What is responsible for degrading spacecraft components and a source of Radiation Storms?

Answer 27

Solar Energetic Particles

Question 28

Coronal Mass Ejection

Answer 28

A **massive cloud** of energetic, magnetized solar plasma launched into space

Question 29

What solar hazard typically arrives in 3 to 4 days?

Answer 29

Coronal Mass Ejection

Question 30

What can severely disrupt anything that uses electricity (e.g. power grids, satellites, communication networks) and is a main source of Geomagnetic Storms?

Answer 30

Coronal Mass Ejection

Question 31

Earth's Magnetic Field is also known as what?

Answer 31

Geomagnetic Field / Magnetosphere

Question 32

Where the earth interacts with the solar wind and other solar hazards

Answer 32

Magnetosphere

Question 33

What is created by the earth's liquid metal outer core constantly moving?

Answer 33

Magnetosphere

Question 34

What deflects most solar wind?

Answer 34

Magnetosphere

Question 35

# Define: Van Allen Belts

Answer 35

**Trapped charged particles** from the sun

Question 36

What is populated by trapped solar wind electrons?

Answer 36

The Outer Belt

Question 37

What is populated by protons from geomagnetic storms on the earth's night-side?

Answer 37

The Inner Belt

Question 38

What belt is not very stable due to the unpredictability of solar cycle and solar winds?

Answer 38

The Outer Belt

Question 39

What belt is more stable and 10 times more energetic?

Answer 39

The Inner Belt

Question 40

The Ionosphere consists of what?

Answer 40

Plasma (positive ions & free electrons)

Question 41

The Ionosphere is responsible for what?

Answer 41

Scintillation

Question 42

Variations in amplitude, phase, and polarization of signals transmitted through a medium

Answer 42

Scintillation

Question 43

How often does scintillation happen?

Answer 43

Daily ## Footnote Also is very localized

Question 44

Scintillation causes what on satellite communications and GPS positioning?

Answer 44

* Signal fading * Data dropouts

Question 45

The strength of a storm determine what two characteristics of an aurora?

Answer 45

* Intensity * Location

Question 45

The Ionosphere is responsible for northern lights and southern lights, known as what?

Answer 45

* Aurora Borealis (northern) * Aurora Australis (southern) ## Footnote Think of Australia in the south.