Celine Lundqvist

Space weather in focus during European Space Weather Week in Umeå

Last week, researchers and experts from around the world gathered in Umeå for the European Space Weather Week – the year’s largest meeting place for space weather research. For five days, the focus was on the Sun’s impact on Earth, the space environment, and our technological infrastructure.

The Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) participated actively throughout the week, both as a co-organizer and by contributing with presentations and discussions. This year’s theme, “Technological expansion of the Arctic: the new frontiers of space weather,” highlighted how the growing technological presence in the Arctic creates new demands for understanding solar activity and its effects.

IRF continues to be at the forefront of research on space weather and its impacts.

PhD Student Alice Wallner gave several presentations during the week. Here she is presenting “The May 2024 storm and its effect on the Swedish power grid.”

Students from the Master of Science programme in Interaction Design at Umeå University presented design sketches and the results of their user studies for IRF Aurora Alert. A delegation from IRF attended the presentation.

IRF is very proud to be able to work so closely with the students at Umeå University.

IRF was present throughout the entire conference to share knowledge about space weather and to talk more about the institute’s research and activities.

Scientist Yamauchi Masatoshi presented “UT dependence of severe space weather events defined by geomagnetic indices.”

On Wednesday, the Space Weather Week opened to the public, and Alice Wallner presented “Do you listen to space?” together with Associate Professor Gabriella Stenberg Weiser and Klaus Nielsen from DTU Space.

Post doc Vanina Lanabere from IRF was one of the members of the organizing committee for this year’s conference.

Professor Hans Nilsson presents “Space weather at comet 67P.”

IRF researchers on site during the European Space Weather Week in Umeå.

Learn more about space weather HERE.