Geomagnetic effects in a high tech society: forecasting solar-induced geomagnetic disturbances

Abstract

As modern society comes to depend more on high technology to deliver and support the infrastructure that we expect as normal, the more that infrastructure is at risk from the changeable nature of the magnetospheric environment. Systems such as satellites, that carry radiocommunications, navigation and telemetry traffic, operate in the magnetosphere and are affected by variations in the particle and magnetic environment. Equally, geomagnetic surveying techniques have become more sensitive and are affected by the smaller fluctuations in the magnetosphere such as pulsations. To minimise the impact of magnetospheric disturbances to systems, more accurate forecasting of magnetic conditions is needed and that requires a more detailed knowledge of magnetospheric variability as it affects the Australian region.