Space Weather Data¶
Space weather data provides geomagnetic indices and solar flux measurements that are essential for atmospheric density models used in satellite drag calculations. These parameters capture solar activity and geomagnetic disturbances that directly affect upper atmosphere density and satellite orbital decay.
Experimental API
The space weather module is currently experimental. While the core functionality should be stable, the API may change in future MINOR releases as we refine the design and add features.
Overview¶
The primary space weather parameters used in astrodynamics are:
| Parameter | Description | Range | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kp | Planetary geomagnetic index | 0-9 | dimensionless |
| Ap | Daily amplitude geomagnetic index | 0-400 | nT (nanotesla) |
| F10.7 | 10.7 cm solar radio flux | 60-400 | sfu (solar flux units) |
| ISN | International Sunspot Number | 0-400 | count |
F10.7 Solar Radio Flux¶
The F10.7 index measures solar radio emissions at 10.7 cm wavelength and serves as a proxy for solar radiation that heats the upper atmosphere. Higher F10.7 values indicate increased solar activity and higher atmospheric density.
The plot below shows the historical F10.7 observed flux from 1957 to present, with future predicted values shown in red.
Plot Source
| fig_f107_history.py | |
|---|---|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 | |
The approximately 11-year solar cycle is clearly visible in the data, with peaks corresponding to solar maximum periods.
Geomagnetic Indices¶
Kp and Ap indices measure geomagnetic activity caused by solar wind interactions with Earth's magnetosphere.
Data Source¶
Brahe uses CSSI space weather data files provided by CelesTrak. The data includes:
- Historical observations from October 1957 to present
- Daily predictions for the near term
- Monthly predictions extending further into the future
Managing Space Weather in Brahe¶
Brahe provides three provider types for space weather data:
- CachingSpaceWeatherProvider: Auto-downloads and caches latest data (recommended)
- FileSpaceWeatherProvider: Loads from CSSI format files
- StaticSpaceWeatherProvider: Uses fixed values for testing
See: Managing Space Weather Data
See Also¶
- Managing Space Weather Data - Practical guide to providers
- Space Weather API Reference - Complete API documentation