>------------- Begin Forwarded Message -------------
>
>Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2000 18:01:09 -0400
>From: tharlow@........
>To: outreach@......................
>Subject: USGS: Geomagnetic Storm Alert
>
>
>Media Advisory           Address
>U.S. Department of the Interior               PO Box 25046, MS 150
>U.S. Geological Survey                   Denver, CO  80225
>
>
>Release             Contact              Phone               E-mail
>April 6, 2000       Don Herzog           303-273-8487
>herzog@........
>Geomagnetic Storm Alert
>
>The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports a sudden increase in geomagnetic
>activity that may signal the onset of a geomagnetic storm.  While it is
>geomagnetic storms that give rise to the beautiful Northern lights, they
>can also pose a serious threat for commercial and military satellite
>operators, power companies, astronauts, and they can even shorten the life
>of oil pipelines in Alaska by increasing pipeline corrosion.
>
>A significant increase in geomagnetic activity was observed at about 12:45
>p.m. (E.T) on Thursday, April 6, 2000.  Space Weather sources at NOAA &
>NASA indicate that the likely cause of this increased activity is due to an
>interplanetary shock wave that was detected by the ACE satellite at about
>12:30 p.m. (E.T) today.  Magnetic activity increased at all USGS magnetic
>observatories about 15 minutes later and could be significant over the next
>24-48 hours. If this geomagnetic activity continues, there is the
>possibility for visible aurora at mid-latitudes. Plots of the data from
>these observatories can be seen on-line at:
>http://geomag.usgs.gov/frames/plots.htm
>
>Geomagnetic storms occur when plasma, a hot ionized gas of charged
>particles produced by eruptions on the Sun, impacts the Earth's magnetic
>field causing it to fluctuate wildly. These fluctuations cause currents to
>flow in conductors on the ground and in space. Solar eruptions can produce
>billions of tons of plasma traveling at speeds in excess of a million miles
>an hour.
>
>The USGS provides valuable geomagnetic data to a wide variety of users and
>organizations that are affected by geomagnetic storms. The agency operates
>a network of 14 magnetic observatories that continuously monitor the
>Earth's magnetic field.  The data are collected in near-real time via
>satellite to a downlink center located in Golden, Colo., and provided to
>numerous customers including NOAA's Space Environment Center and the U.S.
>Air Force Space Command Center.
>
>As the nation's largest water, earth and biological science, and civilian
>mapping agency, the USGS works in cooperation with more than 2000
>organizations across the country to provide reliable, impartial, scientific
>information to resource managers, planners, and other customers. This
>information is gathered in every state by USGS scientists to minimize the
>loss of life and property from natural disasters, to contribute to the
>conservation and the sound economic and physical development of the
>nation's natural resources, and to enhance the quality of life by
>monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral resources.
>                                ### USGS ###
>
>This press release and in-depth information about USGS programs may be
>found on the USGS home page:  http://www.usgs.gov . To receive the latest
>USGS news releases automatically by email, send a request to
>listproc@................... . Specify the listserver(s) of interest from
>the following names: water-pr; geologic-hazards-pr; biological-pr;
>mapping-pr; products-pr; lecture-pr. In the body of the message write:
>subscribe (name of listserver) (your name). Example: subscribe water-pr joe
>smith.
>
>
>
>------------- End Forwarded Message -------------

* John C. and Jan H. Lahr
* JohnJan@........
* 1925 Foothills Road
* Golden, Colorado 80401-1718
* (303) 215-9913
* http://lahr.org/john-jan

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