General Questions about Space Weather 太空天氣一般問題
Answered by the Students
of 2nd Year Physics at
問題由Fairview高中2年級學生回答，並附上專家評論意見(以斜體字顯示)。
. 1.What is space
weather?
Space weather originates on the sun. Activity on the surface of the sun, such as solar flares, can cause high levels of radiation in space. This radiation can come as plasma (particles) or electromagnetic radiation (light).
1．何為太空天氣?
太陽是太空天氣的起源，在太陽表面的活動(像是閃焰)，會在太空中造成高強度輻射，這些輻射包含粒子輻射(電漿)及電磁輻射(光)。-學生
2. Where does the Sun's energy come from?
The sun's energy comes from nuclear fusion in the sun's central core. Fusion is the collision of atoms at high temperature and speed causing them to become one atom and release energy. -student
2．太陽的能量從何而來?
太陽能量是太陽核心的核熔合反應所產生，數個原子在高溫、高速下碰撞結合成一個原子時會釋放出能量這就是核熔合反應。-學生
3. What is a solar flare?
Though scientists are not sure of what causes solar flares, they do know that they are bursts of electromagnetic radiation. These bursts, which appear in an 11-year cycle, produce radio waves which penetrate the Earth's atmosphere, often disrupting radio transmissions on Earth. -student
We think the
energy for a solar flare comes from the magnetic energy associated with strong
fields on the Sun.- JK
3．太陽閃焰是什麼?
雖然科學家還不確定到底太陽閃焰的成因為何，但已了解閃焰是電磁輻射的爆發。在十一年週期中，這些爆發會產生能穿透地球大氣層並干擾地球無線電傳送的無線電波。-學生
我們認為太陽閃焰的能量來自與太陽上的強大磁場的磁能有關。-專家
4. What is a geomagnetic storm?
A geomagnetic storm occurs when unusually strong surges of solar wind (charged particles from the sun) hit the Earth. This effect causes variations in the magnetic field which surrounds the Earth. -student
4．何為地磁暴?
當不尋常的強烈太陽風(太陽上的帶電粒子)撞擊地球時，就會有地磁暴發生，地磁暴會讓環繞地球的磁場產生變化。-學生
5. Does ALL solar activity impact Earth? Why or why not?
Not all solar activity affects the Earth because the Earth's magnetic field repels most of the solar wind. Occasionally solar flares, prominences, and coronal holes (holes in the sun's atmosphere) send high levels of electromagnetic radiation toward the Earth in the form of X-rays. -student
Some activity, like mass ejections, are directional. Earth may
not be in the path of a particular ejection so all activity does not affect
Earth. -JK
5．是否全部的太陽活動都會影響地球? 為何會或為何不會?
並不是所有的太陽活動都會影響地球，因為地球磁場會阻擋大部份的太陽風。偶爾太陽閃焰、日珥，以及日冕洞(在太陽大氣上的洞)會朝地球噴出較強X光形態的電磁輻射。-學生
有些活動，像是日冕物質噴射是具有方向性的，地球也許並不在其特定的噴射途徑中，所以並不是所有的太陽活動都會影響地球。-專家
6. How far is the Sun from the Earth?
The sun varies in its distance from Earth. On average it is 149,000,000,000 meters from the Earth, or 92,600,000 miles. -student
6．太陽到底離地球多遠?
太陽與地球的距離不盡相同，平均是149,000,000,000公尺，或是92,600,000英哩。-學生
7. How do solar flares reach Earth?
A solar flare happens when a large amount of plasma from the sun's surface is ejected outwards. When the plasma returns to the suns surface, it collides with denser material found in the chromosphere. This collision releases large amounts of energy in the form of x-rays and other wavelengths which travel toward the earth at the speed of light. Sometimes the plasma does not return to the sun, but instead travels towards the planet where it is deflected by the planets' magnetic fields. -student
Big ejections
from the Sun can be 1-10 billion tonnes, moving at
400-1000 km/sec (approximately 1-2 million mph) and take more than a day to
pass Earth, after the sudden onset (often a leading-edge shock wave)
7．太陽閃焰如何抵達地球?
太陽閃焰發生時太陽表面會往外噴射大量電漿，當電漿返回太陽表面時，會與在色球層的較高密度物質碰撞，並釋放出大量以光速傳向地球的X光和其他波長的輻射。有時，這些電漿並未回到太陽，而是往外朝向行星而被他們的磁場偏折。-學生
大型的太陽噴射可噴出1億到百億噸的物質，速度達到每秒400-1000公里(大約1-2百萬英哩 /
小時)，在突然的爆發後需經一天以上的時間通過地球。-專家
8. How strong is solar wind (compared to wind on Earth)?
Unlike wind on Earth, solar wind is composed of highly charged particles ejected from the sun. Although the solar wind can be used to move spacecraft with "solar sails," the two different types of wind are very different. The solar wind is deflected by the earth's magnetic field, but it changes that field, compressing it on the sun-ward side and extending it away from the sun. -student
Solar sails are still a theoretical concept--there aren't any in use today. They would sail not on the solar wind but on the photon (light) pressure from the sun.
1．太陽風有多強?
(跟地球上的風作比較)
太陽風跟地球的中性風不同，太陽風的組成是由太陽噴出的帶電粒子，雖然太陽風能用來推動太空船進行”太陽系航行”(solar sails)，這兩種不同種類的風是差異很大的，太陽風會被地球磁場偏斜，但它也會改變磁場--將日側地球磁場壓縮後將其向後延伸。-學生
“太陽系航行”(solar sails)仍是一個理論上的概念—目前尚未被採用，他們並不是利用太陽風來航行，而是利用太陽光子的壓力。-專家
9. What are the different layers of the Sun and what are the layers of the Earth's atmosphere?
The innermost layer of the Sun is called the Core. Nuclear fusion, which creates the light the Sun emits, occurs within the Core, which has a temperature of 27 million degrees F (15 million C).
The second layer
out is the radiative layer. This layer is like an
insulator, and helps maintain the temperature of the core.
The third layer
is the convective layer. The energy of the sun is carried further out from the
core by convection in the layer.
The next layer
is the photosphere, which is the part of the sun that we see with our eyes.
Sunspots appear in the photosphere.
The fifth layer
is the chromosphere which is darker than the
photosphere and can only be seen during an eclipse. The chromosphere
is where solar flares can best be seen.
The next layer is the corona which is comprised of two layers. The inner corona is a halo which extends millions of miles away from the sun. The corona is much hotter than the photosphere and produces x-rays. The outer corona extends to the earth and far beyond it. -student
2．太陽的結構分為那些? 地球大氣中又有哪些分層?
太陽最內部稱為核心，太陽放射出的光線就是發生在核心的核熔合所產生的，核心的溫度高達華氏二千七百萬度 (攝氏一千五百萬度)。
由內往外數第二層是像隔熱材料能幫助維持核心溫度的輻射層。
由內往外數第三層是對流層，太陽的能量就是從核心經由此層中的對流被遠遠帶出。
接下來就是人們肉眼所見的太陽--光球層，太陽黑子就是出現在此層。
第五層是亮度比光球層低的色球層，因此只有在日蝕時才看得見色球層，太陽閃焰也是在此層較易被看見。
接下來是包含兩層結構的日冕層，內層日冕是由太陽往外延伸數百萬英哩的光暈，日冕會產生X光，且其溫度比光球層要高得多，外層日冕會遠遠延伸到地球或更遠的地方。-學生
10. Can you compare space weather to weather on Earth?
To a certain extent, space weather and earth weather are similar. For example, solar wind is much like wind on earth, except that it involves the movement of matter instead of air masses. Earth weather occurs and is contained in the earth's atmosphere. Space weather occurs in the sun's atmosphere, but may affect Earth's atmosphere. -student
10. 你能夠比較太空天氣和地球上的天氣嗎?
就某種層面上，太空天氣和地球天氣是相似的，譬如說，太陽風除了內含的移動物質不是一般空氣團外就和地球的中性風沒兩樣。地球天氣的發生及其範圍都在地球大氣以內，而太空天氣是發生在太陽大氣層內，但也許會對地球大氣造成影響。
11. Have scientists seen changes in the intensity of space weather?
Yes; sunspots, for example, change in intensity over an 11 year cycle. When solar flares occur, space weather activity increases dramatically. -student
At present, we
are in the increasing phase of Cycle 23, which began in October 1996 and is
expected to peak sometime during the year 2000. SEC scientists have noted a
steady increase in the number of sunspot groups and solar flares, as well as
other space weather occurrences like solar proton events and a rising 10.7 cm
solar radio flux. We've had about a dozen episodes of intense space weather so
far this cycle and we expect to see many more as Cycle 23 continues.-NC
11. 科學家是否已察覺太空天氣強度的變化?
是的; 例如太陽黑子以11年為週期劇烈地改變，當太陽閃焰發生時，太空天氣活動也跟著增加。-學生
目前，我們正處於從1996年10月開始並預計在2000年中某個時間達到高峰的第23次週期中的增強階段。SEC科學家已指出太陽黑子群和太陽閃焰數目正穩定的增加，以及其他像是太陽質子事件和10.7公分太陽射電通量的升高這類的太空天氣事件。我們已在此週期中觀察到許多強烈太空天氣事件，並可預期在第23次週期持續的同時看見更多。-專家
12. What are sunspots and how do they relate to space weather?
Sunspots are not well understood, but scientist have some idea of what they are. Strong magnetic/electromagnetic activity is associated with sun spots. They are the coldest part of the sun, and usually develop in pairs. Sunspot activity is in an 11 year cycle. Currently, we are coming out of a low activity point, and more sunspots are beginning to appear. -student
The magnetic
field in sunspots stores energy that is released in solar flares. As a result,
flares usually occur in a cycle that mimics the eleven-year sunspot cycle.
Other forms of space weather such as geomagnetic storms and proton radiation
showers follow a similar cycle. Sunspots usually occur in groups-usually as
simple pairs-but at times in complicated arrangements with many spots and
complex shapes. These unusual regions most often produce solar flares. Space
weather forecasters use the complexity and shapes of sunspots to make flare
forecasts-the more complex the groups of spots, the more likely a flare will
occur. -GH
12. 什麼是太陽黑子，他們和太空天氣又有何關聯?
雖然科學家對太陽黑子還未完全了解，但對於太陽黑子為何已有些概念。太陽黑子和強磁/強電磁的活動有關，是太陽溫度最低的部份，常常是成對的形成，當太陽活動性由最寧靜期走出時，將有更多的太陽黑子陸續出現。-學生
太陽黑子的磁場儲存著太陽閃焰所釋放出的能量，因此，太陽閃焰發生的週期和太陽黑子活動的11年週期相仿。其他形式的太空天氣像磁暴、質子輻射也依循著類似的週期。太陽黑子通常成群出現-通常是一對，但是偶爾會有數個太陽黑子以複雜的形狀排列出現，這些不尋常的區域通常會產生太陽閃焰，太空天氣預報人員就是以太陽黑子的複雜度和其形狀來做太陽閃焰預報-越複雜的太陽黑子群，太陽閃焰就越容易發生。-專家
13. What is the solar max and solar min?
Solar min and max refer to the eleven years sunspot cycle. Every eleven years there are noticeable spots on the surface of the sun. The spots decline to a minimum and then rise to a maximum on this eleven-year cycle. -student
At solar
minimum, the sun may go many days with no spots visible. At maximum, there may
be several hundred spots on any day.-GH
13 . 什麼是太陽活動極大期和極小期?
太陽活動極大期和極小期是參照太陽黑子活動的11年週期，每11年在太陽表面都會有明顯的黑子，在11年週期中黑子的數量會增加到最多，再減少到最少。-學生
在太陽活動極小期時，有一段時間在太陽表面看不見太陽黑子，在太陽活動極大期時，每一天都可能有數百個太陽黑子在太陽表面。-專家
14. What are the northern lights and are they related to space weather?
The northern lights, also called the aurora borealis, is electromagnetic radiation caused by electrons colliding with molecules in the ionosphere. This spectrum of electromagnetic radiation ranges from infrared to ultraviolet. The visible spectrum is dominated by white and green light produced by excited oxygen molecules and pink light emitted from nitrogen. -student
When the sun
is active, it often produces mass ejections that interact with Earth's magnetic
field. Electric currents begin to flow in the upper atmosphere, and these
currents produce the aurora borealis, which occurs almost simultaneously around
both the north and south poles.-GH
14. 什麼是北極光，他們是否和太空天氣有關?
北極光，也稱為極光，是電子和電離層中的分子碰撞後所產生的電磁輻射，其電磁輻射的光譜範圍從紅外線到紫外線都有，可見光譜主要是激發氧分子產生的白光和綠光以及激發氮分子所產生的粉紅光。-學生
當太陽活躍時，通常會產生和地球磁場相互作用的日冕物質噴射，此時電流開始在高層大氣流動並且幾乎同步地在南北極產生極光。-專家
15. Why are some regions on the Sun more active than others?
The sun goes through variations in climate much like the Earth does: cooler and hotter, denser and lighter regions interact together like ocean current. Remember that the sun is made of gases and has very strong magnetic tendencies. These tendencies react on the sun's surface like volcanoes and earthquakes here on earth, shifting matter and heat around in different places. -student
Because the sun
is made up of gases and because it rotates once every approximately 27 days
around its north-south axis, the regions around the equator tend to rotate
faster than the areas near the poles. This differential rotation drives the
mass motions described above.-GH
15. 為何在太陽中有些地區就是比較活躍?
就像地球上的海流一樣，有冷的、熱的、重的、輕的區域相互影響，太陽也有氣候變化。由於太陽的主要成份是氣體而且具有很強的磁場，這些影響太陽表面的磁場就像地球表面的火山和地震一樣，會移動、加熱不同地方的物質。-學生
由於太陽是由氣體構成，而且幾乎每27天會繞著南北極軸轉一周，而在赤道周圍區域的轉動速度比近極區的快，這種差速轉動驅動了上述大部份的活動。-專家
16．How do you forecast space weather?
Certain features on the sun, such as sun spots, are good indications of solar weather. By comparing the current sun spot patterns to those seen in the past, we can partially predict space weather. -student
A good space weather
forecast begins with a thorough analysis. SEC forecasters analyze
near-real-time ground- and space-based observations to assess the current state
of the solar-geophysical environment (from the Sun to the Earth and points in
between). Space weather forecasters also analyze the 27-day recurrent pattern
of solar activity. Based on a thorough analysis of current conditions,
comparing these conditions to past situations, and using numerical models
similar to weather models, forecasters are able to predict space weather on
times scales of hours to weeks.-NC
16. 如何預報太空天氣?
在太陽上的某些特徵，像是太陽黑子都是太陽天氣的指標，若比較目前與過去太陽黑子的型態，我們可以在某種程度上預知太空天氣。-學生
良好的太空天氣預測是從徹底的分析開始，SEC預報人員分析了接近即時的地面與太空的觀測來評估日地環境的狀態(從太陽到地球及其中間的區域)，預報人員也分析了太陽活動27天的重覆性，經由對目前情況全面的分析並將這些情況與過去狀況相比較，然後還使用像預報地球天氣般的數值模式就可以預測幾小時到幾星期的太空天氣。-專家
17．Why is forecasting space weather important?
The forecasting of space weather is critical to a variety of fields. First, it is critical to away-from-planet space missions. Beyond this, space weather has an effect on a variety of earth based electromagnetic systems, and since space weather can affect these devices, it is important to understand it. -student
Some of the
specific effects of space weather on Earth systems include interference with
short wave radio propagation, problems with electric power grids, the decay of
satellite orbits, and radiation hazard for satellites and for astronauts during
some phases of space missions.-GH
17. 為何太空天氣預測很重要?
太空天氣預測對不同的領域都是不可或缺的，首先是對前往遠行星的太空任務，此外對地球上的電磁系統也會產生影響，由於太空天氣會影響這些裝置，所以了解它是重要的。-學生
太空天氣對地球系統所產生的影響包括對短波無線電傳播的干涉，電力輸送線路的問題，衛星運行壽命的減少，以及對太空任務某些時段的衛星與太空人造成的輻射危險。-專家
18．When do the effects of space weather show up?
Flares (sudden brightenings) affect the ionosphere immediately, with adverse effects upon communications and radio navigation (GPS and LORAN). Accompanying radio bursts from the Sun are expected to exceed cell phone system noise tolerances 2 - 3 times per solar cycle.
Solar
energetic particles arrive in 20 minutes to several hours, threatening the
electronics of spacecraft and unprotected astronauts, as they rise to 10,000
times the quiet background flux.
Ejected bulk
plasma and its pervading magnetic field arrive in 30 - 72 hours (depending upon
initial speed and deceleration) setting off a geomagnetic storm, causing
currents to flow in the magnetosphere and particles to be energized. The
currents cause atmospheric heating and increased drag for satellite operators;
they also induce voltages and currents in long conductors at ground level,
adversely affecting pipelines and electric power grids. The energetic particles
cause the northern lights, as well as surface and deep dielectric charging of
spacecraft; subsequent electrostatic discharge of the excess charge build-up
can damage spacecraft electronics. The ionosphere departs from its normal
state, due to the currents and the energetic particles, thereby adversely
affecting communications and radionavigation.
Rayleigh-Taylor instability often occurs in tropical latitudes, causing
rising bubbles to ascend out of the top of the ionosphere and substantially
distorting the normal layering. This causes radio beams propagating through the
rising columns to suffer up to 30 dB of scintillation; GPS receivers lose lock
and communication signals break up as a result.-EH
18. 太空天氣的影響何時出現?
閃焰(突然的閃光)會對電離層產生立即的影響，同時對通訊及航空、航海無線電(GPS and LORAN)產生不利的影響，在每次太陽週期中預期會有超出行動通訊系統雜訊容忍度的2到3倍的無線電波暴伴隨閃焰發生。
太陽高能粒子會在20分鐘到數小時內抵達地球，當這些粒子增加到寧靜背景通量的一萬倍時就會危害太空船上的電子設備及未防護的太空人。
太陽噴出的大量電漿及其夾帶的磁場會在30-72小時內抵達地球(取決於其初速及之後的減速)，引起磁層間電流流動及粒子加速的地磁暴。此電流會加溫大氣並增加對衛星運行上的牽引，他們還會對地面上的長導體感應電壓與電流，對管線和電力系統產生不良影響。這些高能粒子會造成極光及使太空船表面和深層的電介體充電，其後的過多電荷的靜電放電會使太空船上的電子零件造成損害。電離層的狀態也會因為電流和高能粒子變得不正常，而對通訊、無線電傳輸產生不利的影響。
Rayleigh-Taylor的不穩定性經常在熱帶地區發生，造成電離層氣泡昇高到電離層之外，並扭曲了電離層正常的成層結構，這會造成無線電波束穿過上升的氣泡柱產生達30dB的閃爍，造成GPS接收器失去鎖定以及通訊信號中斷。
-專家
19．How long have scientists known about space weather?
The effects of space weather have been known since primitive man first saw the northern lights. More recent discoveries include the solar wind. -student
Space weather is
noticed mostly by its effects on Earth. After a great solar flare in 1959,
telegraph operators discovered that currents from the intense aurora borealis
was flowing through their systems, causing their telegraph keys to melt and
stick in position. During World War II, the new invention of radar failed
whenever the space weather activity was high. Comet tails that curved and
pointed way from the sun showed that a solar wind, a part of space weather, was
always blowing out through the solar system. When police cars in
19．科學家對太空天氣的了解有多久?
當古代人類第一次看見極光時就已經知道太空天氣的影響了，而最近的發現又包括了太陽風。-學生
太空天氣大部份是因其對地球的影響而被注意到，在1959年一個大型的太陽閃焰後，電報人員發現強烈極光的電流會流過他們所使用的系統，造成鍵盤的接觸點熔化連結。第二次世界大戰時，新的雷達發明在太空天氣活動性很高時就會失靈，從彗尾其往後彎曲的尖狀就可看出太陽風一直從太陽往整個太陽系吹出。當舊金山警察試著和發話員對談時，回答的卻是明尼阿波利斯的發話員，就是因為有太空天氣的影響，才會有重返Hubbell天文望遠鏡將其提高到足夠的高度以避免掉落到地面的計畫，當太空天氣很活躍時，衛星軌道高度就會遞減的更快，因此調節火箭的任務也會越頻繁。-專家
20．What is the role of the Space Environment Center?
To monitor space activity, especially the sun, in order to predict conditions caused by extraplanetary events that could have an adverse effect on earth and its various industries. -student
The role of the
20．太空環境中心的角色為何?
監視太空環境活動，尤其是太陽，以進行對外行星事件可能對地球或各種產業會產生不利影響情況的預測。-學生
太空環境中心的角色是搜集所有可獲得的太空天氣即時資料，利用這些資料，預報員可製作一個從太陽到地球的環境圖像，太空環境中心以這些資訊向可能受到影響的使用者發出警報或警告及預測。-專家
21．How do you monitor events on the sun?
You observe it through different filters to see different layers of the sun. Each of these layers has certain characteristic activities that signal the onset of a flare or other solar event. -student
SEC scientists
and technicians utilize a variety of ground- and space-based sensors and
imaging systems to view activity at various depths in the solar atmosphere. A
worldwide network of USAF-sponsored optical observatories also provides space
weather forecasters with detailed plain-language discussions and coded reports
of activity in and around sunspot groups, as well as other areas of interest on
the Sun. -NC
21．如何監視太陽事件?
人們透過不同的濾鏡查看太陽不同高度層的活動，太陽的每一層都有其活動特性來顯示太陽閃焰或其他太陽事件活動的起始-學生
SEC科學家和技術人員利用不同的地面以及太空中的感測器和影像系統來觀測不同深度的太陽大氣活動，一個由USAF資助的光學天文台網路也提供太空天氣預報者淺顯易懂的詳盡討論，還有對太陽黑子群或其周圍活動和其他在太陽上重要區域的編碼報告。-專家
22．What types of industries might be impacted by space weather and how?
The communications industry has lots of problems with solar events. Solar activity can garble radio transmissions, fry the electronics on satellites and in antennas. The power industry has problems with solar events as well, as their transformers can be overloaded. Almost any industry that uses electronics in space can be affected by extremely powerful bursts, but these are rare. -student
GPS sales are
projected to be $9 billion per year in 2000. GPS receivers are increasingly
interwoven into the fabric of commerce and recreation.
New
investment in low and mid Earth orbiting spacecraft is expected to be $30
billion by 2001. Each constellation's loss of revenue is estimated at $1 k per
minute of outage per satellite; this does not consider the users' losses
Delay in
assembly of International Space Station could have a domino effect on Shuttle
flight manifests, at $500 M per flight.
One credible
electric power outage could result in a direct loss to US Gross Domestic
Product of $3 - $6 billion (reference: Barnes, P.R. and J.W. Van Dyke, "On
the Vulnerability of Electric Power to Geomagnetic Storms," Oak
Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1990. (published as a
Technical Report of the Aoak Ridge National
Laboratory)).
A recent
estimate is that the use of good forecasts by the power industry could save the
US $365 M per year, averaged over the solar cycle (reference: "An Estimate
of the Value of Geomagnetic Storm Forecasts," by Rodney F. Weiher and Thomas J. Teisberg. (Published in an economics journal.)
22．太空天氣可能對何種產業產生影響? 如何產生影響?
通訊事業因太陽事件產生了許多麻煩，太陽活動會干擾無線電傳送，並衝擊衛星及天線中的電子設備，電力公司也會因太陽事件產生問題，例如變壓器會因此過載。幾乎任何使用電子設備的產業都會被極大能量的電磁波爆影響，還好這種事件不常發生。-學生
GPS的銷售額在2000年預計可達到九十億美元，GPS接收機正不斷地被應用在商業及娛樂事業中。-
在地球中低軌衛星新的投資金額也預計在2001年達到三百億美元，每顆衛星每分鐘斷訊造成的通訊網收益約損失1千美金，這還不包括使用者的損失。
國際太空站的組裝延期會造成太空梭的飛航次數增加，每次飛行損失5億美元。
一個重大的電力中斷會造成美國國民生產總額30到60億美元的損失。
一個最新的估計指出，良好的預報使用可使電力公司在整個太陽週期中平均每年節省美金3億6千5百萬。-專家
23. Can solar storms hurt people?
Yes. Solar
storms can cause danger to astronauts, for the exposure to protons and plasma
from solar storms can cause radiation poisoning. Astronauts who are not within
the protection of the earth's atmosphere can be exposed to a lethal dose of
radiation during a large solar storm. People flying in commercial jets at high
latitudes are also exposed to higher radiation. Even people on Earth are
exposed to cosmic radiation, but the amount is negligible. -student
23.
太陽風暴會傷害人類嗎?
是的，太空人會因暴露在太陽風暴中質子和電漿所造成的輻射而產生危險。大型太陽風暴產生時，不在地球大氣保護中的太空人就會暴露在致命劑量的輻射下，搭乘商用客機飛行在高緯區的人們也會暴露在較高的輻射中，即使是在地球上的人們也是暴露在宇宙輻射中，只不過這些輻射量已經是微不足道的。-學生
24. Can the damage of solar storms be prevented?
Our best form
of protection is the earth's atmosphere, which absorbs the majority of the
effects of solar storms. In space, radiation shielding can help reduce the
effects of solar storms to both astronauts and equipment. However, large storms
can cause problems even within the Earth's atmosphere. Luckily, solar events
can be predicted with some accuracy, so that preventative measures can be taken
to reduce damage. -student
24.
太陽風暴所產生的損害能夠避免的嗎?
對人們而言，最好的保護就是地球大氣，因為地球大氣會吸收大部份的太陽風暴影響。在太空中，輻射防護罩可以減緩太陽風暴對太空人及設備的影響。然而，在地球大氣的保護下大型的風暴仍然會造成影響，幸運的是，即使不是相當準確，太陽事件還是能被預測的，因此預防機制仍能用來降低損害。-學生
25. Is space weather "all bad" or are there some positive impacts?
In addition to
causing harm, space weather also produces the aurora borealis and the aurora
australis. In the future, solar weather could
become a good source of energy. Space weather has the ability to cause a lot of
damage, but it is not all bad. -student
25.
太空天氣是否全然負面，還是也有正面的影響?
除了造成傷害，太空天也會在南北極產生極光。在未來，太陽天氣也將成為很好的能量來源，太空天氣會產生許多損害，但並不全然都是壞的。-學生
26.
Where can I get more information?
You can find more information on the Internet at the following sites:
26. 我可從那兒獲取更多太空天氣的資訊呢？
您可從下列網站獲得更多資訊：
Space Environment Center
SEC Education Web Page
Space Weather Sites
Space Physics
Educational Sites
Solar Terrestrial Activity Report
Space Weather Report
SpaceWeather.com
註：以上英文內容摘自NOAA/SEC的FAQ(http://www.sec.noaa.gov/info/FAQ.html)，由陳虹如翻譯成中文，林慶輝校正 (2005/05)。