Solar Storms: NMSU professor receives NSF CAREER award to study space weather

Damage estimates for the next major solar storm to impact Earth in the future will not be measured in millions or even billions of dollars. New Mexico State University professor James McAteer described the damage as being measured in "Katrinas," as in Hurricane Katrina. "These are once in 100 years type storms," McAteer said. "When Katrina came, it did a lot of damage. When a big solar storm arrives, they'll measure it in units of Katrina dollars. They'll measure it as between 30 and 50 Katrinas hitting worldwide at one time." McAteer, an assistant professor of astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences, will receive a $750,000 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award over the next five years to study our sun in an effort to predict that next big solar storm before its effects reach the Earth. http://newscenter.nmsu.edu/articles/view/9660/nmsu-astronomy-professor-receives-career-award-study-sun-predict-space-weather http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_24677904/professor-discusses-solar-physics-dna-repair-at-research?IADID=Search-www.lcsun-news.com-www.lcsun-news.com