Space Weather Center to Add World’s First ‘Ensemble Forecasting’ Capability

Instead of analyzing one set of solar-storm conditions, as is the case now, Goddard forecasters will be able to simultaneously produce as many as 100 computerized forecasts by calculating multiple possible conditions or, in the parlance of Heliophysicists, parameters. Just as important, they will be able to do this quickly and use the information to provide alerts of space weather storms that could potentially be harmful to astronauts and NASA spacecraft.

As part of its 11-year cycle, the sun is entering solar maximum, the period of greatest activity. It is expected to peak in 2013. During this time, more powerful CMEs, often associated with M- and X-class flare events, become more numerous and can affect any planet or spacecraft in its path. In the past, solar storms have disrupted power grids on Earth and damaged instrumentation on satellites. They can also be harmful to astronauts if they are not warned to take protective cover.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/ensemble-forecasting.html

 

The largest solar particle event since 2005

The largest solar particle event since 2005 has been detected by the radiation-monitoring instrument aboard the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft, on its way from Earth to Mars.

The Radiation Assessment Detector, inside the mission’s Curiosity rover tucked inside the spacecraft, is measuring the radiation exposure that could affect a human astronaut on a potential Mars mission. It has measured an increase resulting from a Jan. 22 solar storm observed by other NASA spacecraft. No harmful effects to the Mars Science Laboratory have been detected from this solar event.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120127.html

 

Leaner, greener flying machines for the year 2025

Teams from The Boeing Company in Huntington Beach, Calif., Lockheed Martin in Palmdale, Calif., and Northrop Grumman in El Segundo, Calif., have spent the last year studying how to meet NASA goals to develop technology that would allow future aircraft to burn 50 percent less fuel than aircraft that entered service in 1998 (the baseline for the study), with 75 percent fewer harmful emissions; and to shrink the size of geographic areas affected by objectionable airport noise by 83 percent.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/aeronautics/features/greener_aircraft.html

 

FBI plans social network map alert mash-up application

The FBI is seeking to develop an early-warning system based on material “scraped” from social networks. It says the application should provide information about possible domestic and global threats superimposed onto maps “using mash-up technology”. The bureau has asked contractors to suggest possible solutions including the estimated cost.

It says the application should collect “open source” information and have the ability to:

  • Provide an automated search and scrape capability of social networks including Facebook and Twitter.
  • Allow users to create new keyword searches.
  • Display different levels of threats as alerts on maps, possibly using colour coding to distinguish priority. Google Maps 3D and Yahoo Maps are listed among the “preferred” mapping options.
  • Plot a wide range of domestic and global terror data.
  • Immediately translate foreign language tweets into English.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16738209

 

The unlikely winner of CES 2012: Windows Phone

It’s clear from market statistics that Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android are currently the predominant mobile platforms. However, if the buzz at CES is anything to go by, Windows Phone will soon emerge as a strong contender to sit alongside these brands.

http://www.techday.co.nz/netguide/news/the-unlikely-winner-of-ces-2012-windows-phone/21864/

 

Opportunity rover still going strong after eight years on Mars

Eight years after landing on Mars for what was planned as a three-month mission, NASA’s enduring Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is working on what essentially became a new mission five months ago.

Opportunity reached a multi-year driving destination, Endeavour Crater, in August 2011. At Endeavour’s rim, it has gained access to geological deposits from an earlier period of Martian history than anything it examined during its first seven years. It also has begun an investigation of the planet’s deep interior that takes advantage of staying in one place for the Martian winter.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20120124.html

 

Are humans hardwired to cheat?

A successful affair has two components: meeting someone to engage in the act with, and not getting caught. This wisdom comes care of Ashley Madison website founder, Noel Biderman.

The American entrepreneur created the website a decade ago after discovering a quarter of online daters weren’t actually single. So he built an online community where people could sign-up for extra-marital affairs.

The site has members from over 18 countries, speaking seven different languages – including 54,000 in New Zealand. This figure has doubled in the last year – making NZ one of the fastest growing countries for infidelity.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10781361

 

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