| Forthcoming space weather may affect GPS | | | | radiation by the earth’s magnetic field and |
| devices including satellite navigation and NTP GPS | | | | ionosphere, however, satellite communications are |
| time servers. Whilst many of us have had to | | | | not and this can lead to trouble. |
| cope with some extreme weather last winter, | | | | Whilst the effect of solar flare radiation is very |
| further storms are on their way – this time | | | | weak, it can slow down and reflect radio waves |
| from space. | | | | as they travel through the ionosphere towards |
| Solar flares are a regular occurrence on the | | | | Earth. This interference can cause GPS satellites in |
| surface of the sun. Whilst scientists are not | | | | particular extreme problems as they are reliant on |
| completely sure what causes them we know two | | | | accuracy to provide navigational information. |
| things about solar flares: - they are cyclical - and | | | | While the effects of solar flares are mild, it is |
| are related to sunspot activity. | | | | possible GPS devices will encounter brief periods |
| For that last eleven years the sun’s sunspot | | | | of no signal and also the problem of inaccurate |
| activity – small dark depressions that appear | | | | signals meaning positing information may become |
| on the surface of the sun - has been very | | | | unreliable. |
| minimal. But this eleven year cycle has come to | | | | This will not just affect navigation either as the |
| an end and there has been a rise in sun spots at | | | | GPS system is used by hundreds and thousands |
| the end of last year meaning 2010 will be a | | | | of computer networks as a source of reliable |
| bumper year for both sunspots and solar flares. | | | | time. |
| But there is no need to worry about becoming | | | | Whilst most dedicated GPS time servers should |
| toasted by solar flares as these bursts of hot | | | | be able to cope with periods of instability without |
| gases that flare from the sun never get far | | | | losing precision, for worried network |
| enough to reach the Earth, however, they can | | | | administrators not wanting to go into work to find |
| effect us in different ways. | | | | their systems have crashed because of a lack of |
| Solar flares are bursts of energy and as such | | | | synchronisation may want to consider using a |
| emit radiation and high energy particles. On earth, | | | | radio referenced Network time server that uses |
| we are protected by these blasts of energy and | | | | broadcast transmission such as MSF or WVBB. |