The magnetic Sun and its impact on technology

The public lecture on the magnetic Sun and its impact on technology in space and on Earth, organised by Istituto ricerche solari Aldo e Cele Daccò, will be held on 29 November at 8:30 pm in the Liceo Cantonale Aula Magna in Locarno. Organised as part of the sixth edition of the Swiss SCOSTEP workshop, to be held in Locarno on 28 and 29 November, it will feature guest speaker Prof. Francesco Berrilli of Tor Vergata University of Rome.

The Sun is the central active star of our solar system, and it has a complex and variable magnetic field that leads to various phenomena, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

These events, which define what we call Space Weather, can have significant consequences for technology both in space and on Earth. For example, intense Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) can disrupt satellite communications, damage global navigation systems, and affect financial transactions. They can also harm the electronics of spacecraft and aircraft or trigger geomagnetic storms that impact power grids.

Scientists rely on space missions and large, next-generation ground-based solar telescopes to better understand and predict these events. With their innovative technologies and ability to produce 3D data of our star, these telescopes will play a crucial role in studying the physical processes behind space weather events and their evolution over time. The data from these telescopes will enable researchers to explore the physical processes driving solar activity and enhance our forecasting abilities to safeguard our technological society.

Francesco Berrilli

Francesco Berrilli is a Solar Physics and Space Meteorology Professor at the Department of Physics, Tor Vergata University of Rome. He currently holds and has held leadership roles in European and nationally funded projects. He is the Principal Investigator of two space mission projects focused on studying the Sun (ADAHELI and SunCube One). His research interests encompass solar activity and Sun-Earth relations, space weather, solar instrumentation from space and from Earth, education and the history of physics.

The SCOSTEP workshop

The SCOSTEP workshop, organised by Istituto ricerche solari Aldo e Cele Daccò, aims to unite researchers interested in the science of Sun-Earth interactions. The workshop encourages dynamic exchanges between scientists from all fields of solar-terrestrial physics to identify synergies, foster collaborations, and strengthen the Swiss physics community focused on Sun-Earth interactions. The event features invitation-only talks and presentations, which may be delivered in oral or poster format. Topics will cover fundamental solar physics, historical and future solar variability, Sun-Earth relationships—including observations and model simulations—and insights on upcoming space missions and observations.

For more information, see the attached event poster.