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Astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have found a new method to predict the amplitude of the upcoming solar cycle.
Besides, their research can also help in space weather forecasting.
What is solar cycle?
The Sun, a massive ball of hot, electrically-charged gas, generates a powerful magnetic field that undergoes a cycle known as the solar cycle.
Every 11 years or so, the Sun's magnetic field completely flips.
This means that the Sun's north and south poles switch places.
The solar cycle affects activity on the surface of the Sun, such as sunspots which are caused by the Sun's magnetic fields.
The solar cycle is tracked by counting sunspots.
It starts with a solar minimum, marked by few sunspots, and progresses to a solar maximum, when sunspot numbers peak.
What is space weather?
Space weather refers to the varying conditions within the solar system produced by the Sun's activity.
It's analogous to the terrestrial weather on Earth, but with differences in its components (radiation and particles instead of water, temperature, and air)
The main components of space weather are the solar wind, coronal mass ejections, and solar flares.
They can compress the magnetosphere of the Earth and trigger geomagnetic storms, which can affect communication and power transmission, damage spacecraft electronics, and threaten the lives of astronauts.
Thus, space weather has a profound influence on modern civilization
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