[Click here to go the the Sun|trek homepage]
[Sun|trek homepage] [Quick tour] [Sun|trek adventures] [Solar guides] [Factary] [Gallery - Movies & still images] [School Projects] [Classroom Resources] [Hot News] [Contact us] [The Sun|trek Team] [Useful links & resources]
 
 
Sun|Trek Adventures Solar Surface Hot Solar Atmosphere Magnetic Sun Flowing from the Sun
Sun Earth Connection Solar Spacecraft Earth and Beyond The Sun as a Star
  Sun-Earth connection
Ringing the magnetospheric bell aurora
Solar wind
Earth under attack Space Weather
Up Arrow
  what is space weather?
Down Arrow
  how does the Earth defend itself?
  does space weather affect us?
  what can we do about it all?

how does the Earth defend itself?
 
The Earth is under constant attack by both radiation and particles from the Sun. It defends and protects itself from this space weather in two main ways.
 

The atmosphere is very good at absorbing some wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum. The plot below shows which wavelengths can get through the Earth's atmosphere.
 

Notice that the atmosphere completely blocks out short-wavelength and dangerous radiation like X-rays (wavelength from 1-10 nm). Because of this, we are well protected from the electromagnetic radiation of space weather.
     
Q ** Quick Quiz A **
 
Q ** Quick Quiz

A **

 
     
     

The Earth's main protection against energetic particles, which can be just as harmful as electromagnetic radiation, is its magnetic field and the protective effects it creates. The Earth's magnetic field creates a shield which deflects ionised particles so that they cannot reach the Earth's surface. Recently, another protective shield has been discovered, check out the Hot News.

.

   

 
   
 
 

Sun|trek homepage | Sun|trek Adventures | Solar Surface & Below | Hot Solar Atmosphere | Magnetic Sun | Flowing From The Sun

Sun/Earth Connection | Solar Spacecraft | Earth & Beyond | The Sun our Star | Factary | Gallery | Hot News | Contact Us