Solar Storm Warning System

Abstract

The invention relates to a satellite-supported solar storm early warning system for providing a warning signal upon approach of a solar storm to Earth, comprising a number of satellites in a region between the Earth and the Sun and stationary with respect to the center of the Earth and to the connecting line between the Earth and Sun, which satellites are respectively equipped with at least one sensor for measuring at least one parameter of a particle flow in the surroundings thereof, and all of which satellites are in radio signal connection with a receiver on Earth, directly and/or via a satellite or one of the satellites, and each of which satellites is equipped to transmit a measured value of a sensor of the system and/or a warning signal upon exceeding a threshold value by a measured value of a sensor of the system to the receiver via the radio signal connection.

Claims

1. A satellite-supported solar storm early warning system for providing a warning signal upon approach of a solar storm to Earth, the system comprising a plurality of satellites in a region between the Earth and the Sun and stationary with respect to the center of the Earth and to the connecting line between the Earth and Sun, wherein the satellites are respectively equipped with at least one sensor for measuring at least one parameter of a particle flow in the surroundings thereof, and all of the satellites are in radio signal connection with a receiver on Earth, directly and/or via a satellite or one of the satellites, and wherein each satellite is equipped to transmit a measured value of a sensor of the system, a warning signal, or both, upon exceeding a threshold value by a measured value of a sensor of the system to the receiver via the radio signal connection.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the satellites is in a direct radio signal connection with the receiver on Earth at Lagrange point 1 of the Sun-Earth line system.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the satellites form a V-shaped formation with the V opened toward the Sun from the Earth.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the region has two elongated or linear subregions with the connecting line between the Sun and Earth as a line of symmetry for the two subregions.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the subregions are arranged in a V shape with respect to each other with the tip of the V in the direction of Earth.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the region has an extension in the shape of a straight circular cylinder with the connecting line between the Sun and Earth as a cylinder axis and with a diameter less than three times the diameter of Earth.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the region has an extension in the shape of two straight circular cylinders whose cylinder axes are arranged in a V shape with respect to each other with the connecting line between the Sun and Earth as a line of symmetry for the two cylinder axes arranged in a V shape with respect to each other; and the distance of the satellite farthest from Earth in the one circular cylindrical region to the satellite farthest from Earth in the other circular cylindrical region is greater than five times the diameter of each of the two cylinders.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the Earth and the satellite farthest from Earth is less than 50 million km.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the satellites is less than 3 million km.

Description

[0029] The FIGURE shows a schematic top view of an inventive satellite-supported solar storm warning system in its arrangement with respect to the Sun and Earth.

[0030] The FIGURE shows an (approximately scale) schematic top view of the connecting line 2 between the Sun 4 above as a circle (known to be about 1.4 million kilometers diameter, i.e. at a scale of about 1:100 million) and Earth 6 (known to be about 13,000 km in diameter) below as Point 6 (drawn with a cross). With regard to this an inventive satellite-supported solar storm warning system 8 is shown with its satellites in an inventive arrangement with respect to the Sun 4 and Earth 6.

[0031] It is used to generate a warning signal and transmit it to a receiver on Earth 6 upon the approach of a solar storm 10 to Earth and do so in such a timely manner that measures to prevent disruptive or destructive consequences can be taken in time before it arrives with the resultant excessive particle stream. Only as an example, aircraft can then be landed, power plants can be shut down and electrical and electronic units in general and technology control by such, for instance, can be switched off in a controlled manner and their operation deliberately stopped to avoid or at least reduce damages.

[0032] The early warning system 8 has thirteen 12 to 36 which are stationary in a region 38 between the Earth 6 and the Sun 4 considerably closer to the Earth then to the Sun. Satellites 12 to 36 are equipped in each case with sensors (not shown) for measuring the magnetic flux density and other physical parameters of solar storm significance in their environment.

[0033] The satellites 12 to 36 all have a radio and signal connection 40 (illustrated by the lines between the satellites 12 to 36 and the Earth 6) with a receiving station (not shown) on the Earth 6, direct in fact (i.e. the main satellite 12 closest to Earth at the first Lagrange point 12 of the Sun-Earth system) and the other system satellites 14 to 36 of the system are connected via the main satellite 12. Each of the satellites 12 to 36 is configured to send signals to the receiving station (not shown) on the Earth 6 via this radio signal connection 40 containing a measurement value of solar storm significance (particularly measured by the respective sensor (not shown) and if necessary a warning signal which is produced by a signal processing device (not shown) on the satellite 12 to 36 when a limit value is exceeded if it measures a value of solar storm significance.

[0034] According to our knowledge today, a solar storm 10 has the form of a cloud 10 of the charged particles initially mentioned. It has a considerable extent, particularly transverse to its direction of movement 42 as well (away from the Sun 4, possibly toward the Earth 6), particularly with a cross-sectional area (even considerably) greater than the area of the Earth's circle. It will be possibly influenced by the Earth's 6 magnetic field in the direction of the Earth 6 and in passing by it, so that a cloud 10 on a straight path 42 which would not encounter the Earth 6 can be diverted in an arc toward it. In the example depicted, measurements from the sensors (not shown), particularly of satellites 34, 26 and 16 can provide information about the further course of the path of the solar storm 10. After higher values at the satellite 34 and somewhat later at satellite 26 (from which the speed of the cloud 10 can be calculated from their known distance with respect to one another) a measurement at satellite 16 after the same interval gives a normal value and indicates that the cloud has not taken the arced path toward Earth (on which satellite 16 is located with respect to the two satellites 34 and 26) but instead is moving past it.

[0035] The distance between the satellites 12 to 36 is about 1 million to 1.5 million kilometers.

[0036] In order to position the satellites 12 to 36 of the system 8 so that a cloud which would encounter the Earth 6 on eight straight or arced path, contacts at least one of the satellites beforehand and enables its increased magnetism or greater particle concentration to be measured by its sensor (not shown), the satellites are arranged as follows.

[0037] Satellites 12, 18 and 36 comprise a stationary linear formation on a straight line 2 between the Earth 6 and the Sun 4,

[0038] The satellites 12 to 34 comprise a stationary V-shaped formation 44, 46 in which the V 44, 46 is opened from the Earth 6 in the direction of the Sun 4with the width of the opening of the V at various distances with respect to the Earth 6 (distances of the paired satellites 14, 16 and 20, 22 and 28, 30 arranged stationary and symmetrical with respect to the connecting line 2 between the Sun 4 and to the Earth 6 as a line of symmetry) being considerably greater than the Earth's diameter.

[0039] Satellites 12 to 22 and 28 to 34 are arranged stationary in multiple elongated or linear subregions (for example 44, 46), in each case with the connecting line 2 between the Sun 4 and Earth 6 as a symmetry line for the two respective subregions.

[0040] Satellites 14, 16 and 20 to 34 are stationary symmetrical to connecting line 2 between the Sun 4 and Earth 6 as a line of symmetry between two satellites in each case.

[0041] Satellites 12 to 22 and 28 to 34 are arranged stationary in multiple elongated or linear subregions in a V shape with respect to each other (for example, 44 and 46), with the tip of the V in the direction of Earth 6.

[0042] The satellites 12 to 36 are stationary inner region extending in the shape of a straight circular cylinder (its rectangular side view 48 is shown) with the connecting line 2 between the Sun 4 and Earth 6 as a cylinder axis and with a diameter somewhat greater than the diameter of the Sun.

[0043] The satellites 12 to 22 and 28 to 34 are stationary in a region extending in the shape of two straight circular cylinders (their respective rectangular side view 44 and 46 is shown) whose cylinder axes are situated with respect to one another in a V-shape with the connecting line 2 between the Sun 4 and Earth 6 as a line of symmetry for the two cylinder axes 50 arranged in a V-shape with respect to one another and with a distance of the satellite 32 farthest from Earth in the one circular cylindrical subregion 46 to the satellite 34 farthest from Earth in the other circular cylindrical subregion 44 greater than about 3 times the diameter of each of the two cylinders 44, 46.