SUNSPOT DOUBLES IN SIZE: New-cycle sunspot AR2776 has doubled in size since yesterday. Despite the expansion, it is still relatively small and poses almost no threat for M- or X-class solar flares. Solar activity is expected to remain low for the next 24 hours. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
COSMIC RAY UPDATE: Spaceweather.com and Earth to Sky Calculus have just released a new batch of cosmic ray balloon data. Their conclusion: Atmospheric radiation is near a 5-year high. This plot shows a 15% increase since the monitoring program began in 2015:
What's happening up there? The answer is "Solar Minimum." During the nadir of the 11-year solar cycle, the sun’s magnetic field weakens, allowing extra cosmic rays from deep space to penetrate the solar system. These cosmic rays are hitting Earth’s atmosphere, creating an intensifying spray of secondary cosmic rays that we detect with sensors onboard our balloons.
The graph, above, shows that Solar Minimum is underway. Recently, NASA and NOAA announced the onset of a new (but still feeble) solar cycle. Eventually, Solar Cycle 25 will bend the cosmic ray curve down again. But when? Stay tuned!
COSMIC RAY BALLOONS AND THE CALIFORNIA MEGAFIRE: In central California, the historic Creek Fire is burning more than 300,000 acres of Sierra National Forest. Our cosmic ray balloons are getting a unique view. This photo was taken on Sept. 6th when the "megafire" was exploding in size only two days after it started:
The ominous plume looked like a volcanic eruption, anvil-topped at the tropopause where cold air prevented the smoke from rising into stratosphere: photo. Later, when the balloon reached the stratosphere, cameras looked down from an altitude of 113,400 feet, revealing the top of the anvil: photo.
We've launched 4 balloons since the Creek Fire began, and each one has captured unique views of the smokey inferno. This sunrise shot, taken on Sept. 25th, shows the Owens Valley filled to the brim with smoke:
The Owens Valley is the deepest valley in the United States. Its floor is about 10,000 ft lower than the surrounding ~14,000 ft mountain peaks. In other words, that's a lot of smoke. Later in the day, sunwarmed air carried the fumes upward, completely swallowing the Sierra Crest.
As of Oct. 16th, the Creek Fire has burned 341,722 acres and is only 58% contained. The view from the stratosphere is spooky, disturbing, eerily beautiful. We hope it ends soon.
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A BLACK PEARL IN THE STRATOSPHERE: It came from Tahiti--and now it's been to the edge of space. On Feb. 27, 2020, this genuine Black Tahitian South Sea Cultured Pearl flew to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray balloon, soaring more than 100,000 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California:
You can have it for $229.95. The students are selling these exotic space pearls to fund their cosmic ray monitoring program. Measuring 10 mm in diameter, the pearl has an 18K white gold clasp and is suspended from a matching 925 Sterling Silver chain. Each pearl comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space.
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