Overview

Space weather is recognised as a significant potential threat by the UK Government and was added to the National Risk Register in 2011. Space weather comprises magnetic fields, radiation, particles and matter which have been ejected from the Sun and can interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and upper atmosphere to produce a variety of effects.

The most recognisable and visible space weather effect is arguably the auroras (Northern and Southern Lights). However, as we currently pass through another period of peak solar activity, we are reminded that space weather also represents a real threat and can have an impact upon critical national infrastructure, technology, and communications systems.

In this Hazards Forum event, you will hear from experts on the latest developments in the measurement and modelling of space weather with a focus on their potential impacts on critical infrastructure in the UK, how they can be mitigated, and how prepared we are to rapidly recover from a major space weather event. This will include insights on the outcome of the multi-million pound Space Weather Instrumentation, Measurement, Modelling and Risk ( SWIMMR) programme, which was designed to significantly improve the UK’s monitoring and forecasting capabilities for space weather, and to mitigate those aspects with the highest potential for impact on economic and societal activities.

You will also hear about research underway at Warwick University to reconstruct extreme space weather events in order to quantify risks for modern society. Finally, you will hear about recent OECD Nuclear Energy Agency work to improve understanding of how geomagnetic inducted currents (GIC) affect electrical systems, including good practices adopted by countries in the detection and management of such events.

Time

17:30–20:00 BST.