📊 How to Read the Dashboard

A guide to understanding your space weather data

📚 Learn About Space Weather 📖 Glossary of Terms 🏠 Back to Dashboard

🎯 Dashboard Overview

The WeatherGuard.Space dashboard displays real-time space weather data in an easy-to-understand format. Each element is color-coded to help you quickly assess current conditions and potential impacts.

System Status Indicator

Good

System operational, data is fresh and current

Warning

Data may be stale or minor issues detected

Error

Data collection appears to be down

🧭 KP Index Display

🧭

What is the KP Index?

The KP index measures geomagnetic activity on a scale of 0-9. It's the most important indicator of space weather conditions.

How to Read It:

  • 0-1 (Quiet): Very low activity, minimal impacts
  • 2-3 (Unsettled/Active): Moderate activity, minor radio impacts
  • 4-5 (Minor/Moderate Storm): Significant activity, power grid fluctuations possible
  • 6+ (Strong/Extreme Storm): High activity, major impacts possible

💨 Solar Wind Information

💨

Solar Wind Speed

Shows how fast particles from the Sun are traveling toward Earth. Normal speeds are 300-400 km/s, while speeds above 600 km/s can cause geomagnetic storms.

Solar Wind Density

Indicates how many particles are in the solar wind. Higher density means more particles impacting Earth's magnetic field.

BZ Component

The north-south orientation of the solar wind's magnetic field. Negative values can trigger geomagnetic storms by opening Earth's magnetic field.

☢️ Radiation Levels

☢️

Proton Flux

High-energy protons that can affect satellites and astronauts. Normal levels are below 10 pfu (proton flux units).

Electron Flux

High-energy electrons that can cause satellite charging and communication disruptions. Measured in cm⁻²·s⁻¹·sr⁻¹.

What to Watch For:

  • Normal: Minimal impact on technology
  • Elevated: Possible satellite anomalies
  • High: Significant satellite problems and radiation exposure risk

☀️ Solar Activity

☀️

Solar Flux

Radio emission from the Sun indicating overall solar activity. Normal values are 70-150 sfu (solar flux units).

Sunspot Number

The number of sunspots visible on the Sun's surface. Higher numbers indicate more active periods in the solar cycle.

Solar Cycle Context:

The Sun follows an 11-year cycle. During solar maximum, there are more sunspots and solar activity. During solar minimum, activity is much lower.

📈 Historical Charts

Understanding the Charts

The dashboard includes interactive charts showing historical data for the past 24 hours. These charts help you see trends and patterns in space weather conditions.

Chart Types:

  • KP Index Chart: Shows geomagnetic activity over time
  • Solar Wind Chart: Displays solar wind speed and density trends
  • Radiation Charts: Shows proton and electron flux levels

How to Use Charts:

  • Hover over data points to see exact values
  • Look for sudden spikes or drops that might indicate significant events
  • Compare current values to historical averages

⚠️ Alert System

⚠️

Active Alerts

The dashboard shows any active space weather alerts that might affect technology or human activities.

Alert Types:

  • KP Warning: High geomagnetic activity
  • Geomagnetic Storm: Active storm conditions
  • Proton Event: High radiation levels
  • Solar Flare: Intense solar radiation burst

Alert Severity:

  • Watch: Conditions favorable for development
  • Warning: Significant impact expected
  • Critical: Immediate action required

🔄 Data Freshness

🔄

Data Age Indicator

Shows how recent the displayed data is. Space weather conditions can change rapidly, so fresh data is important.

What to Expect:

  • Just now: Data is very fresh and current
  • Minutes ago: Data is recent and reliable
  • Hours ago: Data may be outdated, check system status

Update Frequency:

Data is typically updated every 15 minutes from our monitoring systems. If data is older than 2 hours, there may be a data collection issue.

🎯 Quick Assessment Guide

How to Quickly Assess Conditions:

  1. Check System Status: Is the system showing "Good" status?
  2. Look at KP Index: Is it green (0-1) or yellow (2-3) for normal conditions?
  3. Check for Alerts: Are there any active warnings or critical alerts?
  4. Review Data Age: Is the data recent (within the last hour)?
  5. Monitor Trends: Are values stable or changing rapidly?

When to Be Concerned:

  • KP index is orange (4-5) or red (6+)
  • Active alerts are present
  • Data is more than 2 hours old
  • System status shows "Error"
← Back to Dashboard