2000 SPACE SCIENCE VIDEOTAPES |
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Tape Title | Record ID | Date Produced | TRT: |
Synopsis |
| A ROAD MAP TO MAGNETIC RECONNECTION | G00-052 | 06/01/00 | 00:11:43 | NASA has first-hand evidence and gained new understanding of space weather through a process debated about since the 1950's. Observations from NASA's Polar spacecraft and Japan's Geotail spacecraft have proven magnetic reconnection occurs naturally in the Sun-Earth system, answering the question what causes auroras and magnetic storms? As mankind becomes more dependent on technology, space weather gains more importance since it can effect our communication and weather satellites, and power grids on Earth.
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TAPE CONTENTS: |
| ITEM (1): THE SUN-EARTH CONNECTION ANIMATION - When the polarity of the solar wind is the same as Earth's, nothing happens. When the wind's magnetic field is opposite from Earth's, an connection occurs. Imbalances are formed between the sunlit and dark side. After magnetic reconnection happens, charged particles rush into the magnetosphere causing magnetic storms and auroras.
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| ITEM (2): SOLAR WIND DATA VISUALIZATION - A super-computer driven model of the magnetosphere based on solar wind data from May 1998.
Credit: NASA / Univ. of Maryland
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| ITEM (3): BAR MAGNET 101 ANIMATION - Earth's magnetosphere works like a bar magnet -- particles flow along the magnetic field lines. The solar wind, which has its own magnetic field, pushes against the magnetosphere. It compresses the day side and stretches the night side, like a wind sock.
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| ITEM (4): POLAR DATA VISUALIZATION OF AN AURORA - This spectacular event took place on Feburary 22, 1999 and lasted seven hours. The images were acquired with the Earth Camera of the Visible Imaging System (VIS) on the Polar spacecraft. Auroras are usually a result of magnetic reconnection.
Credit: NASA / Univ. of Iowa
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| ITEM (5): SOHO IMAGE OF SOLAR WIND 2/17/00 - The solar wind is really an extension of the solar corona and has supersonic flow, which can vary in intensity when storms take place. Think of the sun as a big jet engine in the sky, and the solar wind is the exhaust of that jet engine. When solar wind arrives at Earth, it has the capability of disrupting the size and shape of the earth's magnetic field and can cause tears in our magnetic cocoon, allowing solar particles into our atmosphere. (Taken by LASCO instrument)
Credit: NASA / ESA
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| ITEM (6): IMAGE AND THE ISTP CONSTELLATION - The sun has a magnetic field, but it is far more complex than Earth's. As we get closer to solar maximum, the magnetic field becomes very active and mixed up, causing solar flares (bright white flashes) and loops of magnetic activity. The year 2000 is the year of the solar maximum. (Taken by EIT instrument)
Credit: NASA / ESA
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| ITEM (7): POLAR SATELLITE ANIMATION
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| ITEM (8): GEOTAIL SATELLITE ANIMATION
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| ITEM (9): AURORA B-ROLL
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| ITEM (10): INTERVIEW EXCERPT - Dr. Nicola Fox, Space Plasma Scientist, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
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| ITEM (11): INTERVIEW EXCERPT - Dr. Mario Acuna, ISTP Project Scientist
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