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Space phenomena4/2/2023 ![]() This strong solar flare event with high energetic solar radiation caused disruption in high latitude point-to-point communication, and solar panel degradation on GOES-6 and -7 satellites, and was estimated to have decreased the expected lifetime of GOES-7 by 2 to 3 years. On the 22nd and 23rd of March 1991, an intense solar event occurred, which resulted to severe geomagnetic storms. They also reported that elevated fluxes of energetic (>2 MeV) electrons >10 8 cm −2 d −1 sr −1 are observed by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) on days with satellite anomalies occurring at geostationary and low-altitude (55°) orbits. Their findings revealed that very intense fluxes (>1000 particles cm −2 s −1 sr −1 (pfu) at energy >10 MeV) of solar protons are linked to anomalies registered by the satellites in high-altitude (>15,000 km) near-polar (inclination >55°) orbits and to a much smaller extent to anomalies in geostationary orbits. They compiled a large database of about 5700 anomalies registered by 220 satellites in different orbits over the period of 23 years (1971–1994). verified and quantified the linkage between a large fraction of spacecraft anomalies and space weather perturbations. There are documented cases or evidence of satellites anomaly associated with space weather (or space radiation environment). This scenario can induce sporadic and unexplainable errors in sensitive parts of spacecrafts, degrade the critical properties of their structural materials, jeopardize the flight worthiness of spacecrafts, constitute transient and terminal health hazard to both onboard passengers and astronauts, and even lead to total failure that can end the mission of affected spacecrafts. The particles can bombard and interact with satellites’ surfaces, and sometimes posses enough energy to penetrate their exposed surfaces with possible access to their electrical, electronic and electrochemical components (EEECs). Satellites and other space application systems are vulnerable to both trapped and transient energetic particles since they are basically designed to operate in the space plasma environment. ![]() The transient particles environment consists of energetic particles from solar events, and galactic cosmic radiation that exist in the interplanetary space regions and in the near-Earth regions. ![]() The charged particles that are trapped or confined by the Earth’s magnetic field to certain regions in space such as the Van Allen belts form the trapped radiation environment. The energetic particles and electromagnetic radiation from these processes form the near-Earth radiation environment and can be divided into (i) trapped radiation environment and (ii) transient radiation environments. Sources of energised particles and strong magnetic energy also include the solar flares and galactic cosmic ray, originating from outer space. The principal medium through which the Sun’s activity is communicated to the region of the near-Earth space environment, is the solar wind, which occurs in form of a continuous outflow of streams of energized charged particles and/or momentary eruption of large-scale, high-mass plasma known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). This condition is referred to as space weather. ![]() Solar activity drives dynamic changes in the atmosphere and ionosphere that can affect the performance and reliability of satellites in near-Earth space environment, as well as ground-based technological systems and services that rely on them. In this chapter we review some satellite anomalies associated with the space radiation environment and conclude with mitigation effort that can reduce such impact. The understanding of the dynamics of the space radiation environment and associated effects is critically important for satellites design and operation in ionospheric plasma environment, in which satellites are designed to function. Among other known effects, the scenario can cause accelerated orbit decay due to atmospheric drag, sporadic and unexplainable errors in functions of sensitive parts, degradation of critical properties of structural materials, jeopardy of flight worthiness, transient and terminal health hazard to both onboard passengers and astronauts, and sometimes a catastrophic failure that can abruptly end satellite mission. Energetic particles and electromagnetic radiation (EM) from solar events and galactic cosmic rays can bombard and interact with satellites’ exposed surfaces, and sometimes possess enough energy to penetrate their surface.
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