Space weather impacts on infrastructure such as electricity grids and air traffic
One highlight of the 1st Swiss SCOSTEP workshop was the impact of space weather on infrastructure such as electricity grids and air traffic showing that a better understanding of the fundamental processes taking place on the Sun and their terrestrial impacts is an urgent need to reduce risk.
Starting with the seminal work of Rudolf Wolf on the 11-yr cycle of sunspots in 1850s different aspects of solar-terrestrial physics are being addressed by the Swiss research community. However, the community realized the need to strengthen the level of collaboration between solar physicists and climate scientists in order to exploit the topic of solar influence on the Earth’s atmosphere and climate to its full potential. The newly created Swiss SCOSTEP national committee aims to foster the exchange between the rather separated groups of solar physicists and climate scientists.
To this effect the 1st Swiss SCOSTEP workshop was held in Bern, Switzerland on the 4 – 5 October 2016. 31 researchers came together to exchange their expertise in several disciplines ranging from fundamental solar physics, solar variability and its effects on Earth, in particular the climate system, to new measurement techniques and future satellite missions. The workshop successfully delivered an overview of the current activities within these communities and first synergies were identified which are aimed to result in joint research activities in the comings months and years.
One highlight was the impact of space weather on infrastructure such as electricity grids and air traffic showing that a better understanding of the fundamental processes taking place on the Sun and their terrestrial impacts is an urgent need to reduce risk.
Given this positive outcome yearly workshops are planned to strengthen the newly developed links between the communities.
