SCOSTEP Launches VarSITI Program to Explore the Origin and Consequences of a Weak Sun

Written by Jaša Čalogović Monday, 13 January 2014 13:52

Although the Sun just recently provided strong flare on 7th January  2014, 18:30 UTC connected with coronal mass ejection (CME) and this time luckily with minor impact on Earth, the current 24 solar cycle is in general much weaker than previous solar cycles. That something is changing on the longer timescales related to solar activity was already indicated by the number of spotless days in the last solar minimum which was the largest in last century. To investigate rather unusual solar cycle in the last year MiniMax24 campaign was started, leaded by Manuela Temmer from Graz University, where Hvar Observatory was also involved with expertise and Hvar solar Telescope observations. The continuation of this campaign in now foreseen in new scientific program called VarSITI (VARiability of the Sun and Its Terrestrial Impact).

One of the scientific elements of VarSITI is ISEST (Internatinal Study of Earth-affecting Solar Transients) which tries to understand the origin, propagation and evolution of solar transients through the space between the Sun and the Earth, and develop the prediction capability of space weather. In the frame of ISEST last year (2013) the ISEST workshop on Hvar was organized in June.

Beside the ISEST, Hvar Observatory performs also research on solar activity influences on Earth’s climate and weather (ROSMIC). There are still many contended mechanisms that link the solar activity and Earth’s climate. If such weaker solar activity continues in the future, it will be interesting to observe the eventual climatic changes linked to solar activity in the next decades.

Read more: SCOSTEP Launches VarSITI Program to Explore the Origin and Consequences of a Weak Sun

Photos - ISEST Workshop

Written by Jaša Čalogović Saturday, 13 July 2013 16:36

Second Announcement - ISEST, Hvar, 17.-20.6.2013

Written by Jaša Čalogović Tuesday, 12 March 2013 14:04

This is the second announcement for the International Study for Earth-Affecting Solar Transients (ISEST) Workshop in Hvar, Croatia, June 17-20, 2013. ISEST is intended to bring together scientists from different countries to interact and establish collaborations that can effectively address the physical mechanisms of the origin and propagation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs),  toward the goal of developing the prediction capability of solar transients' arrival and potential impact on the Earth. This is a newly established program under SCOSTEP CAWSES-II. The workshop engages coordinated international activities in observation, theory and modeling, and involves scientists in both developed and developing countries, and provides an online platform for both research and educational opportunities for students.

Read more: Second Announcement - ISEST, Hvar, 17.-20.6.2013

COMESEP 2nd Year Progress Meeting

Written by Jaša Čalogović Tuesday, 29 January 2013 10:20

COMESEP 2nd Year Progress Meeting will be organized by Hvar Observatory and take place at Zagreb Observatory from 15 to 19 April, 2013 in Zagreb, Croatia.


>> more information about COMESEP Meeting

New version of Drag-Based Model (DBM)

Written by Jaša Čalogović Friday, 25 January 2013 18:21

The purpose of the basic form of the model is to provide a prediction of the arrival time and impact speed at the Earth. Calculations are based on the assumption that the dominant force in the heliospheric dynamics of ICMEs is the magnetohydrodynamical equivalent of the aerodynamic drag. For a given set of input parameters it provides the ICME Sun-Earth transit time, the arrival time, and the impact speed.
The new version of DBM now includes the advanced DBM which provides this output for any target in the heliosphere and takes into account also the shape of ICME employing the so-called cone-geometry. Plots showing the impact speed depending on the distance from the Sun (v-R) and CME geometry are added to the model outputs. 

>> link to Drag-Based Model

XIIth Hvar Astrophysical Colloquium proceedings

Written by Jaša Čalogović Friday, 05 October 2012 10:30

We would like to remind that the deadline for submitting the manuscripts for the proceedings of 12th Hvar Astrophysical Colloquium "The Sun and Heliosphere" is November 30, 2012. 
 
The following page limits apply for the proceedings: reviews = 18 pages, invited talks = 14 pages, contributed talks  = 12 pages, posters  = 6 pages.  

Manuscripts should be prepared in LaTeX, preferably using the Cent. Eur. Astrophys. Bull. style file which is available here. 

Photos - XIth Hvar Astrophysical Colloquium

Written by Jaša Čalogović Tuesday, 10 July 2012 18:45

Pictures from XIth Hvar Astrophysical Colloquium (2.-6.7.2012) you can find under the links here:
 Photos by LOC
 Photos by participants

We would like to remind you that the deadline for submitting the manuscripts for Proceedings of XIth HAC (special volume of the Central European Astrophysical Bulletin) is October 30, 2012.

Venus transit on 6.6.2012 – Hvar solar telescope observations

Written by Jaša Čalogović Wednesday, 06 June 2012 16:37

During the morning hours of 6.6.2012, Hvar Observatory double solar telescope was able to observe and record the last Venus transit in this century. Photospheric and chromosperic telescope were used from the sunrise (3:44 UTC) till the end of transit (4:55 UTC). Unfortunately for those who missed it, the next Venus transit will not occur until December 2117. Observer was Nikša Novak and data were processed by Jaša Čalogović.

> Short movies generated from the telescope data can be accessed here

Online talk - Can solar activity and cosmic rays save us from global warming?

Latest news

Written by Jaša Čalogović Sunday, 01 April 2012 23:02

All those interested in solar influences on climate and especially in the contended topic about link between the cosmic rays and clouds can now online access the talk of Jaša Čalogović held on IAC, La Laguna on 15. March 2012.

> Click here for the abstract and video of the talk

Solar irradiance, cosmic rays and cloudiness over daily timescales

Latest publications

Written by Jaša Čalogović Tuesday, 20 December 2011 00:00