Some results of investigations on the space weather influence on functioning of several engineering–technical and communication systems and human health

Abstract

Some results of a complex study on the influence of such space weather factors as the effects of scintillation, solar and geomagnetic storms on human health and some engineering–technical systems both space borne and of ground-based origin are briefly described. The morphology and main characteristics of ionospheric scintillation, together with its impacts on navigation and communication systems, are developed to help space system designers who are involved in activities related to the development of systems in middle latitudes for microwave radio signals for the satellite-receiver path. A study of the effects of geomagnetic storms on electrical power generation and transmission network and equipment, that is the influence of the geomagnetically induced currents of selected magnetic storms and relevant power cuts has revealed that power line disturbances mainly occur when the geomagnetic field displays sharp changes. For the purposes of studying the possible influence of the solar and geomagnetic activity on influenza (and especially influenza epidemics) in the Azerbaijan, the data covering the time period 1976–2000 is analysed. Some results of a complex investigation on the influence of heliogeophysical conditions on human health and, in particular, the effects of solar and geomagnetic storms on human brain functional activity and cardiovascular diseases are reported.