ALL
WELCOME
Dr
Marc Duldig
Program
Leader, Space and Atmospheric Sciences, Australian Antarctic Division
ABSTRACT:
Space
weather is the name given to variations in the plasma speed and density, the
solar magnetic field and the radiation density in the near Earth space
environment and the consequences of those variations.
The
consequences can be quite dramatic and have significant economic impact.
To understand space weather it is first necessary to understand the
processes generating the high-speed solar plasma and its dynamic interaction
with the Earth.
The development of the solar wind, its embedded magnetic field and its
propagation to the Earth is described.
The interaction of this plasma with the Earth’s magnetic field and
atmosphere and the range of effects that result are presented.
These effects include but are not limited to: electricity grid
disruption; telecommunication disruption; increased pipeline joint corrosion;
satellite memory failures, surface charging, solar cell degradation and
increased atmospheric drag; navigation disruption; increased aircraft passenger
radiation exposure; astronaut radiation hazards; and the benign but beautiful
aurorae.
Many
of these effects have significant economic impact and reliable forecasting of
space weather storms is highly desirable.
The quality of space weather predictions has improved dramatically over
the past five to ten years but still needs to be developed much further.
Australia has a significant role to play in both space weather research
and prediction.
Instruments at the Australian Antarctic bases, at Macquarie Island, in
Tasmania and mainland Australia are essential to space weather research and
prediction.
Australia’s
geographic isolation has made it heavily reliant on satellite technology and
this dependence will only increase in the future.
Evidence is mounting that the space era may have been an unusually quiet
time for space weather activity and that a greater level of disruption may be
possible in the future.
It is in our national interest to develop a space weather strategy that
optimises national research, ensures rapid distribution of observational data
for space weather forecasting and develops appropriate forecast warning
procedures for industry and government use.
SPEAKER
PROFILE:
Dr
Marc Duldig completed his BSc in Physics at Monash University in 1974.
He moved to Hobart in 1975 for one
year to undertake an Honours degree in X-ray astronomy.
He is still there today!
In the meantime Marc completed a PhD at the University of Tasmania in
X-ray and Radio astronomy and joined the Australian Antarctic Division in its
cosmic ray research program in 1980.
(Note the noise in his postgraduate experiments became the signal in his
professional research career!)
In 1985 he took over leadership of the cosmic ray research group.
Last year Marc was appointed Program Leader of the Australian Antarctic
Space and Atmospheric Sciences Program.
In this role he manages the Australian Antarctic Division research
program and leads and co-ordinates all other agencies Australian Antarctic
research in these fields.
Marc
has been national Secretary of the Astronomical Society of Australia for 15
years and is an Honorary (life) Fellow of that organisation.
He has been a member of several Academy of Science subcommittees.
Marc is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics, an Associate
Editor of the institute’s journal and has been a member of its tertiary course
accreditation panel.
He has published over 180 research papers and has spent 4 summers in
Antarctica. Marc
is married with a four year old daughter and a two year old Alaskan Malamute.