Real Time Solar Wind (RTSW)

Geomagnetic storms are a natural hazard, like hurricanes and tsunamis, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts for the public's benefit. Severe geomagnetic storms cause communications problems, abruptly increase drag on spacecraft, and can cause electric utility blackouts over a wide area. The location of ACE at the L1 libration point between the earth and the sun enables ACE to give about a one hour advance warning of impending geomagnetic activity.

NOAA has arranged for the transmission of a subset of data from four ACE instruments during the times when ACE is not transmitting it's full telemetry to the Deep Space Network. For about 21 of 24 hours per day, ACE will send data (~464 bps) to NOAA operated ground stations. During the other three hours when NASA is getting high rate data through the Deep Space Network, NOAA gets a copy of the real time data. NOAA processes the data (using algorithms provided by the ACE experimenters) at its Space Environment Services Center (SESC) in Boulder, Colorado, which will issue any alerts of impending high geomagnetic activity.

NOAA ACE Real Time Solar Wind site

The four ACE instruments and the data they will supply are:

Return to ACE home pageReturn to ACE Home Page
Author and Curator: Eric R. Christian (erc@cosmicra.gsfc.nasa.gov)
Responsible NASA Official: Tycho von Rosenvinge (tycho@lheamail.gsfc.nasa.gov)
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    This file was last modified on Thursday, 15-Feb-2001 11:50:24 EST