ESA TV Exchanges–info for feed on 22/05/01
The next ESA TV Exchanges, “The Solar Cycle” will be transmitted on:
Tuesday 22 May 2001
09:30-09:45 GMT – PLEASE NOTE NEW TIME SLOT
The Solar Cycle:
The period of time when the sun’s activity increases and decreases is referred to as the solar cycle. The solar cycle reaches its maximum about every 11 or so years. The lowest point of the slar cycle is called the solar minimum and the highest point, the solar maximum. As the solar cycle moves towards its maximum the number of sunspots increases. Sunspots are relatively cool areas that appear as dark blemishes on the face of the sun. They are formed when magnetic field lines just below the sun’s surface are twisted and poke through the solar photosphere. The twested magnetic filed above sunspots are sites where solar flares are observed to occur.
The earth is affected by both solar flares and sunspots. Solar flares emit hight-speed particles which cause auroras, known in the northern hemisphere as Norhtern Lights. Particles from solar flares can also disrupt radio communication, and the radiation from the flares can give passengers in airplanes a dose of radiation equivalent to a medical X-ray. The European Space Agency have developed satellites such as SOHO, Ulysses and more recently Cluster in order to disover more about the sun and its effects on the earth.
This short A-roll gives a brief explanation of the the solar cycle and is told using real images and graphic animations, it carries split audio with English commentary. The A-roll is complemented by a longer B-roll which includes 3-D animations, results from the solar observation satellite SOHO and the latest solar flare which took place on the 03 April 2001.
This ESA TV Exchanges feed is transmitted by the European Commission’s “Europe by Satellite” (EbS) service. You can find the complete transmission schedule and download scripts and shot lists, also for ESA TV items, from the EbS Web site at http://europa.eu.int/comm/ebs/index.html
Please note the transmission parameters, on Eutelsat Hot Bird, below.
The “Europe by Satellite” transmission parameters are:
EUTELSAT HOT BIRD at 13* East (DVB/MPEG-2)
Horizontal, F=12,476 MHz (MCPC, Europe by Satellite)
SR=27,500 MS/sec, FEC=3/4
For further information and a daily update of the transmission schedule, visit our website at http://television.esa.int. For all enquires, contact Claus Habfast, Tel +31 71 565 3838, Fax +31 71 565 6340, e-mail chabfast@hq.esa.fr.
