NASA advances space weather prediction via new mission and AI

NASA is advancing efforts to predict space weather through new mission developments and artificial intelligence. The DAPHNE (Dynamic Atmosphere-Ionosphere Explorer) mission has entered Phase B of development. This mission will utilize two identical satellites to provide coordinated measurements of neutral winds, temperature, and composition in the ionosphere and thermosphere. Researchers, including those from Clemson University, aim to study how disturbances in Earth’s lower atmosphere interact with solar energy to influence the upper atmosphere.

Simultaneously, a team associated with NASA’s COFFIES (Consequence Of Fields and Flows in the Interior and Exterior of the Sun) has developed a machine-learning model to predict the emergence of solar active regions. By analyzing data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the model can identify subtle pattern changes on the solar surface up to 12 hours before sunspots appear. These active regions are primary drivers of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can threaten satellite communications, GPS navigation, and astronaut safety.