The Darkside of Aurora: Space Weather risks to NZ's Energy Infrastructure?

The Sun is the main provider of energy for the Earth; without it we would surely die. However, the Sun is not just a huge light bulb sending heat and light to us - it is a gigantic fiery ball of burning gas on which the largest explosions in our solar system take place. We are only just starting to understand how the Sun drives "Space Weather" - changes in the environment on and around the Earth which affect our technological systems. UN Space Experts have recognised that the largest space weather risk to our technological society is to the energy infrastructure, and particularly to Earth's electrical transmission networks. Extreme geomagnetic disturbances induce potentially damaging electrical currents in long electrical conductors - examples are power transmission line or gas pipeline networks. Such events may be as common as every few hundred years (or less). In this talk I will introduce this hazard and introduce our new MBIE-funded Endeavour programme to mitigate the risks for New Zealand. Further details download flyer. Zoom Password: 582894