GEOMAGNETIC STORMS

GEOMAGNETIC STORMS

A geomagnetic storm is a significant disruption of the magnetosphere around Earth that happens when energy from the solar wind is efficiently exchanged into the space environment. These storms are caused by variations in the solar wind, which cause significant shifts in the Earth's magnetosphere's fields, plasmas, and currents. The solar wind conditions that are most effective in generating geomagnetic storms are high-speed solar wind that lasts for several to many hours and, most importantly, a magnetic field at the dayside of the magnetosphere that is directed southward, against the direction of Earth's field. Energy from the solar wind can be effectively transferred into Earth's magnetosphere under these conditions.

Largest storms resulting from these conditions are linked to solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs), in which Earth is visited by roughly a billion tonnes of plasma from the sun that has an embedded magnetic field. Although CMEs usually take several days to reach Earth, some of the strongest storms have been known to arrive in as little as 18 hours. A high-speed solar wind stream (HSS) is another solar wind disturbance that fosters the conditions necessary for geomagnetic storms. HSSs form co-rotating interaction regions, or CIRs, as they plunge into the slower solar wind in front. These areas are frequently associated with geomagnetic storms, which can deposit more energy in the Earth's magnetosphere over a longer period of time than CME storms, despite being less powerful.

Storms also cause intense currents in the magnetosphere, changes in the radiation belts, and ionosphere changes, which include heating of the ionosphere and upper atmosphere region known as the thermosphere. In space, a ring of westward current around Earth causes magnetic disturbances on Earth. The disturbance storm time (Dst) index, which measures this current, has traditionally been used to characterise the size of a geomagnetic storm. In addition, currents produced in the magnetosphere that follow the magnetic field, known as field-aligned currents, connect to intense currents in the auroral ionosphere. These auroral currents, known as auroral electrojets, also cause significant magnetic disturbances. All of these currents, along with the magnetic deviations they cause on the ground, are combined to create a planetary geomagnetic disturbance index known as Kp. This index serves as the foundation for one of three NOAA Space Weather Scales, the Geomagnetic Storm, or G-Scale, which describes space weather that has the potential to disrupt Earth's systems.

During storms, ionosphere currents and energetic particles that precipitate into the ionosphere add energy in the form of heat, increasing the density and distribution of density in the upper atmosphere and causing additional drag on low-earth orbiting satellites. Local heating causes significant horizontal variations in ionospheric density, which can alter the path of radio signals and cause errors in GPS positioning information. While storms produce beautiful auroras, they can also disrupt navigation systems like the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and cause harmful geomagnetic induced currents (GICs) in power grids and pipelines.

WHAT IS A BACON NUMBER ?

Bacon Number – Six Degrees of Bacon

The term "bacon number" describes a person's connection to the online phenomenon known as "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon." The premise of the idea is that, in six easy steps or less, every person in Hollywood can be connected to actor Kevin Bacon through their film roles. In a game, players must attempt to connect the actor or actress with Kevin Bacon in the shortest amount of steps. It is also possible to play this game as a trivia game. An actor's name is provided, and the respondent must explain how they are related to Kevin Bacon.

The Bacon An actor's or actress's number indicates how far away they are from Kevin Bacon. The actor is farther away from Kevin the higher the number they receive. In the game, Kevin's number is 0. The top spot would belong to an actor who has collaborated with him on a film. An actor would have two if they have collaborated with another actor who has worked closely with Kevin.

Merely 12% of actors possess an undefined number, indicating that they are inextricably linked to Kevin. At first, Kevin Bacon was against this game, but as time passed, he came to find it flattering that so many people could be associated with him.

Kevin Bacon has collaborated with numerous renowned actors and actresses and appeared in numerous motion pictures. An actor's Bacon number is practically a measure of their level of fame. Directors, writers, and other members of the production team who have collaborated with Kevin on projects can also use these numbers if they have collaborated with him on acting assignments. Kevin Bacon can be connected to a lot of actors in six steps or less. Given that Kevin has starred in numerous high-caliber films, an actor's Bacon number usually indicates how good of a role they have played.

See the Oracle of Bacon to determine the bacon number of any actor or actress! Kevin Bacon performing Six Degrees of Bacon in a video Kevin Bacon, an actor, is an excellent sportsman. In this hilarious video, watch him play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Honoring Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

We celebrate and honour the various cultures, histories, and contributions of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders (AAPI), and their descendants during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

On the other hand, the AAPI community, which experiences severe health disparities and access issues, needs to be made acutely aware of the significance of addressing health equity, diversity, and inclusion during this month-long celebration. As a community, we must recognise and resolve the health disparities that exist and make investments in a future in which every person has an equal chance to prosper and realise their full potential.

In our capacity as members of the UC Davis Health Asian Pacific American Alliance Systemwide (APASA) Employee Resource Group (ERG), we are thrilled to share this wonderful month with you all.

This month, there are plenty of opportunities to take part in both on- and off-site events that will increase awareness, advance mutual understanding, and strengthen community ties.

🌟EARTH DAY 🌟 2024

EARTH DAY SPECIAL

April 22 is World Earth Day, an annual celebration. It falls on a Monday this year. World Earth Day 2024 will have Planet vs. Plastics as its theme. The theme seeks to raise awareness of the grave problem of plastic pollution and its detrimental effects on the environment.

EARTH DAY SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

You can make a commitment to not use plastics in your home, go for nature walks, alter your lifestyle to leave a smaller carbon footprint, teach your friends and family about environmental conservation, and much more.

April 22 is World Earth Day, an annual celebration. It falls on a Monday this year. World Earth Day 2024 will have Planet vs. Plastics as its theme. The theme seeks to raise awareness of the grave problem of plastic pollution and its detrimental effects on the environment. In order to promote planetary health on Earth Day 2024, EARTHDAY.ORG calls for a 60% decrease in plastic production by 2040.

Earth Day's inception dates back to 1970. Senator Gaylord Nelson of the United States and Harvard student Denis Hayes came up with the concept for the event. Both the massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in January 1969 and the United States' declining environmental conditions deeply troubled them. He was deeply troubled by the effects on the environment and wished to channel the vigour of student demonstrations into the growing public awareness of air and water pollution. In order to organise the campus teach-ins and spread awareness of environmental conservation, he enlisted the help of young activist Denis Hayes. In an effort to boost student involvement, they selected April 22 as the weekday in between Spring Break and Final Examinations. Its quick success was demonstrateda by a enormous turnout in the US, with 20 million participants.

History of Earth Day

Although our planet is a wonderful place, it needs our assistance to survive! For this reason, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day on April 22 every year in an effort to shield the planet from environmental threats like pollution and deforestation. We can contribute to a happier and healthier world by engaging in actions like litter pickup and tree planting.

When a Wisconsin senator organised a nationwide protest to draw attention to environmental issues, the first Earth Day was observed in 1970. Nationwide demonstrations were held, and by year's end, the Environmental Protection Agency was established by the US government. Earth Day was observed in more than 140 countries worldwide by 1990.

It is possible to honour the environment and celebrate simultaneously. View these Earth Day suggestions at any time of year to contribute to environmental conservation.

what reality of ASHANTI ?

Ashanti and Nelly Rekindled Their Y2K Romance With a Ring

An ex can occasionally be the love of your life. That appears to be Ashanti's and Nelly's situation.

atOptions = { 'key' : '28e5e4663f975b0273df2206ed9943cf', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 300, 'width' : 160, 'params' : {} }; type='text/javascript' src='//pl23014649.profitablegatecpm.com/d8/be/ff/d8beff1a234b478a92880d94b3dc259c.js'></script>" target="_blank">Ashanti, 43, revealed her pregnancy on Wednesday via an Instagram video featuring Essence magazine.

Several internet users voiced their disapproval of the R&B singer for giving birth to a child without a ring on her finger (which is by no means typical for celebrities).

A few hours later, in a double surprise that delighted their fans, Essence revealed that Ashanti, the Grammy-winning vocalist who has sold millions of records and released six studio albums, is engaged to the multiplatinum St. Louis rapper. There was no announcement of the wedding date.

Ashanti told Essence in a statement, "This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation." "Being a mother is something I have always wanted to do, and it's an incredible experience to share with my loved ones, fiancé, and devoted fans who have supported my career so much."

"To everyone who claimed he got her pregnant without giving her a ring... A user wrote on Instagram, "I hope you see the word FIANCÉ in that statement!!!"

Reuniting with an ex-partner was another topic of discussion after the announcement. One user wrote, "This is a block spin I can STAND FORRRRRR."

Fans are likely ecstatic about the news because the two were a popular couple throughout the 2000s and first connected in 2003. The combination makes one feel nostalgic for the early aughts. With hits like "Ride Wit Me" and "Hot in Herre" from Nelly and Ashanti's chart-topping songs "Foolish" and "Happy," both were well-known during the time.

They got together for the first time at a press conference to announce the 2003 Grammy Awards nominees. She took Nelly's playful request for her autograph seriously, and the exchange was documented in a picture that went viral.

They went to prestigious events together in the ensuing ten years, despite their well-known secrecy regarding their romantic status. Together, they have also released music, such as the sensual song "Body on Me" from 2008. They look at each other in the song's music video as he raps, "I wanna make you someone more than just a bone in my closet / I wanna win that type of relationship," and she croons, "I know you want it."

In a 2015 interview with Meredith Vieira, Ashanti confirmed that she and her partner had broken up after nearly ten years of dating.

They weren't spotted together again until September 2021, when they reconciled in New York during a Verzuz fight involving Fat Joe and Ja Rule. The rappers asked Nelly and Ashanti to perform their songs together on stage during the musical battle, and Nelly gave her a hug. It turned out that she hadn't seen him in a long time.

They were flirtatious as ever as they danced together on stage during their performance of "Body on Me" in December 2022 at a concert in Arizona. The couple didn't officially announce their relationship until September 2023, despite rumours of a revived romance circulating.

Ashanti carried a purse emblazoned with a picture of the two of them from their attendance at the awards ceremony 20 years prior, in 2003, when she went to the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, where Nelly was performing, that month.

During a red carpet interview, Ashanti expressed her opinion that wearing the bag would be “cute.” When asked if she and Nelly were back together, she gave a sly, “I mean... yeah” response.

Simultaneously, Nelly announced on her programme "Boss Moves with Rasheeda" that she and reality star Rasheeda Frost from "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" were back together.

We chill again, Nelly remarked. He remarked, "I think it surprised both of us, though," and added that he thought their separation was crucial for their reunion to be more powerful.

When asked if they were happy together right now, he replied, "Yes, because there's no pressure." Prior to now, I thought that our careers were being pursued by both of us. It can get difficult when there are a lot of people involved.

The couple appears to be prepared for a new chapter in their lengthy journey together, one without intermediaries, as they are now more subdued than they were in the 2000s.

911 OUTAGE IN SEVERAL STATES

911 outages in several states caused by company installing a light pole

Authorities investigate 911 outages across four statesNebraska, Nevada, South Dakota and Texas residents couldn’t make 911 calls Thursday. Las Vegas police say it took two hours before service was restored.

Wednesday night, there were 911 call outages in several states. According to Lumen, the emergency call system service provider, a third-party light pole installation was to blame.

"Some customers in Nevada, South Dakota, and Nebraska experienced an outage due to a third-party company installing a light pole— unrelated to our services," a Lumen representative said in a statement to ABC News on Thursday.

"We restored all services in approximately two and a half hours," Lumen stated. "Our technicians located the problem and made a concerted effort to resolve it as soon as they could. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused and value our clients' understanding and patience."

MORE: DHS warns that cyberattacks are likely to target emergency services.

Investigating is the Federal Communications Commission.

The entire state of South Dakota, as well as portions of Nevada and Nebraska, were affected by the outages.

Just before 9:15 p.m. PT on Wednesday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported that service had returned to the city in Nevada.

"All of the individuals who called during the outage have been called back and provided assistance," police in Las Vegas stated.

Additionally, the Nevada State Police verified that service had been restored to Clark County, which is located in southern Nevada and includes Henderson and Las Vegas.

According to police, there was a breakdown in South Dakota's entire statewide emergency calling system.

The outage, according to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, occurred between approximately 8 and 11 p.m.

During this time, "The State 9-1-1 Coordinator was in constant and extensive communication with the state’s 9-1-1 service vendor, Lumen, and the state’s 28 9-1-1 dispatch centres," according to the department.

MORE: Hero Taco Bell manager speaks out after lifesaving CPR on baby in the drive-thru

"Dispatch centres can use the system to determine the phone number of callers and return those calls, even though some calls might not have gone through. According to the department, the 9-1-1 system is fully functional and prepared to react quickly to any emergency.

At a press conference on Thursday, Sioux Falls Division Fire Chief Mike Gramlick stated, "Last night's outage was unprecedented in terms of its duration and magnitude." "Our team at Metro Communications, which serves as the public safety answering point for the area, handled the situation with exceptional professionalism."

Authorities report that there were outages in Dundy County, Nebraska, and the surrounding areas, but that later both landline and cellular 911 service was restored.

There were also reports of outages in several Texas cities, but those didn't seem to be related, as Lumen stated that it does not offer Texas 911 service.

March Beauty Report ⚡2023

The beauty market in 2023: A special State of Fashion report

It has been difficult to resist the allure of the beauty industry, which has drawn numerous new businesses and investors. Differentiating decisions are necessary for brands to succeed in this dynamic and fiercely competitive market.

The skincare, fragrance, makeup, and haircare segments of the beauty market brought in about $430 billion in revenue in 2022. All aspects of beauty are increasing in the modern era. It has shown to be robust in the face of severe macroeconomic conditions and worldwide economic downturns. Nowadays, a lot of people—from A-list celebrities to high-level financiers—want to work in the beauty industry, and for good reason. The beauty market is predicted to grow at a projected rate of 6% annually and reach around $580 billion by 2027, after seeing a strong recovery since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (Exhibit 1). This is comparable to other consumer segments like clothing, shoes, eyewear, pet care, and food and drink, or marginally higher.

Before the end of this decade, the beauty industry, a dynamic segment ready for upheaval, will have reshaped itself around an ever-expanding array of products, channels, and markets. Customers, especially the younger ones, will drive this change as their own ideas of beauty change along with their views on everything, including the value of self-care, the definition of sustainability, and the role of influencers and important opinion leaders. In general, "premiumization" is predicted to define the beauty industry. Between 2022 and 2027, the premium beauty tier is expected to expand at an annual rate of 8% (as opposed to 5% for mass beauty) as consumers trade up and increase their spending, particularly on makeup and fragrances.

At the same time, we anticipate that the market will get even more competitive as new competitors appear and a number of independent brands that have been successful in the last ten years try to grow. Increasing competition will force established brands and merchants to adapt as well. According to McKinsey's 2023 survey of consumers in China, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, 42% of respondents say they enjoy trying new brands, which is consistent with the trend-driven dynamics in the market. In the meantime, shoppers are becoming more discerning about price points and say that both physical and virtual retailers have an impact on their purchasing decisions. Their inclination for omnichannel shopping is anticipated to support independent labels' entry into the online market and the legacy brands'.

Between 2015 and 2022, e-commerce in the beauty industry almost quadrupled, reaching a share of over 20% at present, with substantial growth anticipated. This contrasts with an estimated 30 percent e-commerce share in clothing and footwear and 65 percent in toys and games in 2022.

The expansion of beauty offerings by online behemoths like Amazon in the US and Tmall in China, the growing importance of online for omnichannel retailers, the rise of social selling, including livestreaming, in Asia, and the growing digital sophistication of direct-to-consumer players have all contributed to the growth of e-commerce in the beauty sector.The fastest-growing sales channel is predicted to remain e-commerce, growing at a rate of 12 percent annually between 2022 and 2027. However, growth in traditional channels, such as drugstores, specialty retail, and grocery retail, is anticipated to pick up after the pandemic, as consumers' preference for omnichannel is partially driven by their continued desire for in-store product discovery and trial (Exhibit 2). Globally, department stores are predicted to keep losing market share.