Space Weather: from Solar Eruptions to Magnetospheric Storms

Abstract

Space weather can be defined as a topic dealing with the variable conditions in the Sun, solar wind, magnetosphere and ionosphere that may be hazardous to man-made systems in space and on ground and endanger human health and life. This definition has a strongly application-oriented flavor. Positive consequences of space weather activities during the last 10-15 years have been increasing dialogues between various fields of solar-terrestrial physics and between the science and technology communities. At the same time expectations of increased funding have contributed to opportunism and promises of useful space weather services that have not always been based on sound physical understanding. If we have sufficient in situ and remote observations, we can make useful specifications of the environmental conditions practically in real time. However, forecasting is difficult, in particular if we want to forecast the conditions at the Earth based on solar observations. As space weather involves a wide range of scientific topics from solar eruptions to current induction in conductors buried in ground, the space weather community comprises scientists with very different backgrounds. Some are specialists in interaction of solar wind shocks with the Earth's magnetopause but ignorant of how the Sun drives the shock. Others may know all details of twisted flux tubes on the Sun but think that the magnetospheric response may be characterized by one single parameter. This tutorial review aims at advancing the understanding of space weather as an integrated system, from its origins in the Sun, to the near-Earth environment.