What is the weather like in space?

The term "space weather" (or "space weather") appeared in the early 1980s and became popular in the 1990s. Space weather refers to the structure, composition and changing process of interplanetary and near-earth space environment, as well as the transfer and transformation of energy, momentum and matter in this huge and complex system.

Generally speaking, space weather includes the following aspects. ① Spatial scope of space weather: The spatial scope of space weather monitoring and research includes solar surface, interplanetary, solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere, and even upper atmosphere, which is completely consistent with the scope of space physics, solar-terrestrial space physics and space environment. ② The main content of space weather research: space states and events that affect the operation of space-based and ground-based technology systems and endanger human health and normal activities. It depends on the basic research of space physics and the basic understanding of space environment, and focuses on the description and prediction of disastrous weather processes. ③ The main goal of space weather is to understand the physical mechanism of energy, mass and momentum transfer and coupling in the earth space system, to monitor, diagnose and forecast the space weather process, especially the catastrophic events, to provide services for space-based and ground-based technology systems and society, and to ensure the normal operation of the national economy.