Hello Dr.
I just found this "Questions for... " forum. How excellent because I was wondering if you have run across these observations from the past.
I read about these strange SOHO observations and wondered if you had heard about them. I did find some comments from another person and he tried to get answers from NASA to no avail.
First, I link to the NASA report:
www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/media/1999/m99-256.txtHere are some clips from it:
ON THE DAY THE SOLAR WIND DISAPPEARED,
SCIENTISTS SAMPLE PARTICLES DIRECTLY FROM THE SUN
From May 10-12, 1999, the solar wind that blows constantly from
the Sun virtually disappeared--the most drastic and longest-
lasting decrease ever observed. Dropping to a fraction of its
normal density and to half its normal speed, the solar wind died
down enough to allow physicists to observe particles flowing
directly from the Sun's corona to Earth. This severe change in
the solar wind also changed the shape of Earth's magnetic field
and produced an unusual auroral display at the North Pole.
www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/news/9912 Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Donald Savage
(Phone 202/358-1547).
Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD: Bill
Steigerwald (Phone 301/286-5017).
For full text, see:
ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/pressrel/1999/99-145.txt ____________________________________________________
ITEM 2 - ON THE DAY THE SOLAR WIND DISAPPEARED, SCIENTISTS SAMPLE
PARTICLES DIRECTLY FROM THE SUN- GSFC
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Donald Savage
(Phone 202/358-1547).
Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD: Bill
Steigerwald (Phone 301/286-5017).
Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD: Wade Sisler (Phone
301/286-6256).
From May 10-12, 1999, the solar wind that blows constantly from the Sun virtually
disappeared--the most drastic and longest-lasting decrease ever observed.
Dropping to a fraction of its normal density and to half its normal speed, the
solar wind died down enough to allow physicists to observe particles flowing
directly from the Sun's corona to Earth. This severe change in the solar wind
also changed the shape of Earth's magnetic field and produced an unusual auroral
display at the North Pole.
www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/news/9912 ITEM 2a - THE DAY THE SOLAR WIND DISAPPEARED--------------TRT :45
As the solar wind dissipates on May 11, 1999, the magnetosphere and bow shock
around Earth expand to five times their normal size. The aurora, which usually
forms ovals around Earth's poles, fills in over the northern polar cap.
ITEM 2b - POLAR IONOSPHERIC X-RAY IMAGING EXPERIMENT------TRT :20
(PIXIE) MOVIE
Moving X-ray images of the North Pole reveal the "polar rain" of electrons that
fell on Earth's atmosphere on May 11, 1999.
Credit: NASA/Lockheed Martin
ITEM 2c - POLAR IONOSPHERIC X-RAY IMAGING EXPERIMENT------TRT :20
(PIXIE)
X-ray images of the North Pole reveal the "polar rain" of electrons that fell on
Earth's atmosphere on May 11, 1999.
Credit: NASA/Lockheed Martin
ITEM 2d - POLAR VISIBLE IMAGING SYSTEM--------------------TRT :10
Ultraviolet and visible light images of the aurora borealis show the unusual
occurrence of aurora over the North Pole.
Credit: NASA/University of Iowa
ITEM 2e - POLAR VISIBLE IMAGING SYSTEM-MOVIE--------------TRT :30
Ultraviolet movie of the aurora borealis from the Polar VIS Camera during a
typical auroral event on April 17, 1999.
Credit: NASA/University of Iowa
ITEM 2f - MODEL OF THE SOLAR WIND AND MAGNETOSPHERE-------TRT :36
A computer model driven by science data shows the Earth's bow shock--the leading,
colored edge to the left--stretching out toward the Sun as solar wind density
drops. The magnetosphere (gray shading) changes from a windsock shape to a
dipole.
____________________________________________________
NEXT - Here is a link to someone who finds all this very interesting, but also is very perplexed why he cannot get a better answer from NASA about what happened, reprecussions, future expectations, etc.:
www.commonsensecentral.net/sun_stuff/whats_new_sun.htmHere is a clip from his comments. THE IMAGES ARE BY FAR THE STRANGEST THAT I'VE EVER SEEN FROM THE SUN. SCROLL ALL THE WAY TO THE LAST ONE ON BOTTOM.
Douglas Biesecker - SM&A Corp., NASA/GSFC, Code 682.3, Greenbelt, MD 20771
Phone: +1 301 286 3116; Fax: +1 301 286 0264
E-mail: doug@sungrazer.nascom.nasa.gov; WWW:
sungrazer.nascom.nasa.gov --broken 7/31/2007
As indicated, he checked the tape backup system and the above image is what I downloaded from the web address indicated in his email. It clearly shows the "Slinky Sun Storm"
What would happen if this storm was aimed at the Earth? Is this what happened to Mars’ atmosphere? What could form such a storm? Is it natural or was it created by some type of huge mechanism we can’t even begin to imagine the size of? Why isn’t NASA telling the rest of the world? Is this why our weather has been so wierd lately?
Reality must be truthful to be useful.
Below is the full color version retreived from Enterprisemission:
Douglas Biesecker - SM&A Corp., NASA/GSFC, Code 682.3, Greenbelt, MD 20771
Phone: +1 301 286 3116; Fax: +1 301 286 0264
E-mail: doug@sungrazer.nascom.nasa.gov; WWW:
sungrazer.nascom.nasa.gov --broken 7/31/2007
As indicated, he checked the tape backup system and the above image is what I downloaded from the web address indicated in his email. It clearly shows the "Slinky Sun Storm"
What would happen if this storm was aimed at the Earth? Is this what happened to Mars’ atmosphere? What could form such a storm? Is it natural or was it created by some type of huge mechanism we can’t even begin to imagine the size of? Why isn’t NASA telling the rest of the world? Is this why our weather has been so wierd lately?
Reality must be truthful to be useful.
At this link are the full color images retreived from Enterprisemission:
www.commonsensecentral.net/sun_stuff/whats_new_sun.htm
