Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
IndustryTourism15TuesdayOctober222013ByJACKDANYLCHUKAssolarmaximumsgothe24thhasbeenabusttheleastactivein100yearsbuttheshowisntoveryetsaysAndrewYauleadscientistonaCanadianre-searchteamthatlaunchedasatelliteprobeoftheauroralastmonth.Astronomershavecometoexpect150ormoreeruptionsfromtheSunssurfaceatthepeakofthe11-yearcyclebutsofarthisyearwatchershavecountedabout60explosionsthatsettheauroradancingandhavethestrengthtocrashpowergridsandnavigationsystems.ActivityhaspickedupinthelastsixmonthsandthereisnoreasontothinktheSunwillgobacktosleepYausaidinaninterviewwithTheJournal.Theremaybean-otherpeakthiswinter.Thecurrentsolarmaxi-mumisalessoninhumil-ityYausaid.WethinkweunderstandtheSunandweknowmuchmorethan50yearsagobutthemorewelearnabouttheSunsolarstormsandtheaurorathemoreweunderstandhowlittleweknow.YauoftheUniversityofCalgaryisco-ordinatingresearchbeingconductedbyasatellitelaunchedSept.30onanorth-southorbitfromCaliforniabySpaceXacommercialoperatorfortheCanadianSpaceAgency.OverthenexttwoyearsCassiopewillgatherdatatohelpresearchersbetterun-derstandhowspacestormsintheupperatmosphereim-pactradiocommunicationsGPSnavigationandothertechnologies.Byflyingourinstru-mentsintotheeyeofthespacestormssotospeakwewillbeabletomakemea-surementsatratherunprec-edentedresolutionandgetamuchsharperandmuchmorein-depthpicturesoftheireffectsontheupperat-mosphereYausaid.Thelong-termgoaloftheresearchistoadvanceourcapabilitytoforecastspaceweatherandmitigateitsim-pactondailylifeandonsoci-etythewayweareforecast-ingterrestrialweathertoday.Atpresentspaceweatherismonitoredatgroundlevel.Knownas10.7cmradiouxF10.7theworldstandardmeasurementhasbeenmadebytheDominionRadioAs-trophysicalObservatoryatPentictonBCandreportedonceadaysince1947.Itsthebestsinglemea-sureofsolaractivityanditisaproductofCanadabutoutsideofscienticcirclesfewpeopleareawareofthatsaidYauwhoattributestheobscuritytotypicalCana-dianmodesty.TheF10.7readingsarealsousedtopredictauroradisplaysandYausfriendsinJapanfrequentlyseekhisadviceonthebesttimetoexperiencethephenomenon.ThisyearthechanceofseeingtheauroraisbetterthanitwasafewyearsbackYausaid.Lastwinterinanticipationofthesolarmaximum15700peoplecametotheNorth-westTerritoriestoviewtheauroraeclipsingtheprevi-ousrecordcrowdof12000duringtheprevioussolarmaximumin2000.AuroratouroperatorsinYellowknifewerebusythroughAugustandSeptem-berguidingvisitorsfromJapanandChina.ItsarealthrillforvisitorstotheNortheveniftheydontseetheaurorajusttoexperienceallthatspaceandwildernessYausaid.IsawtheaurorawhenIlivedinOt-tawaanditsnotthesame.Ifsolaractivityfollowsthepatternofthepast200yearstheaurorawillsubsidenextyearandremainlowforsev-eralyearstakingauroratour-ismwithituntilthenextpeakarrivesaround2022or2024.Yausaidsomeofhiscol-leagueshavesuggestedthatthelessthanspectaculardis-playduringthecurrentsolarmaximummaymarkthebe-ginningofalengthysilenceontheSun.Ithashappenedinthepasttherewerezerosunspotsforanextendedperiodandthatcouldoccuragainbutthereisnoindicationthatsuchaperiodisjustaroundthecor-nerhesaid.SlowsolarmaximumdimsaurorabutnottourismBusinessAdministrationProgramsteachskillsthatarehighlytransferableandindemandbygovernmentprivateindustryandpreparesemployedfront-lineworkerstoadvancetomoreseniorpositionsQualityBusinessEducationwithauniquelynorthernperspectiveAuroraCollegesalutesthemanyentrepreneursInterestedinbecomingasmallbusinessownerLearntheskillsyouneedatAuroraCollege.October20-26Forprograminformationcheckoutwww.auroracollege.nt.cawww.auroracollege.nt.caAURORACOLLEGEispleasedtohostTheInquiryExhibitPutyourselfinJudgeBergerschair.DecidewhatCanadashoulddo.ThebachaCampusMainFoyerFortSmithSponsoredinpartbyNorthwesternAirLease.ExhibitwillbeopenOctober28October31.T.LightstationsinstalledbyAstronomyNortharoundYellowknifealertresidentsandtouristswhenconditionsarerightforspecialauroradisplays.ItsarealthrillforvisitorstotheNortheveniftheydontseetheaurorajusttoexperienceallthatspaceandwilderness.IsawtheaurorawhenIlivedinOttawaanditsnotthesame.AndrewYauCassioperesearchteamPhotoJackDanylchuk