space weather

The term space weather generally refers to varying conditions in space, especially around the Earth that have an effect on spacecraft and humans, including effects on technology. The most common source of variation is the Sun, i.e., solar activity, such as variations in solar wind, as well as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), solar eruptions, solar flares, etc., termed solar storms or solar weather. Resulting particles can be dangerous to humans in space, and charged particles (ions) can affect the magnetosphere and ionosphere, in turn affecting radio communication, and in the most severe cases, damaging electronics and other electrical equipment on the Earth's surface, as well as electronics in spacecraft. One consequence of the variation in space weather is the variation in the presence and extent of auroras.