Return-Path: X-Spam-DCC: paranoid 1481; Body=2 Fuz1=2 Fuz2=2 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.3 (2006-06-01) on lipkowski.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-2.4 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,DNS_FROM_AHBL_RHSBL, HTML_MESSAGE,SPF_PASS autolearn=no version=3.1.3 Received: from post.thorcom.com (post.thorcom.com [195.171.43.25]) by paranoid.lipkowski.org (8.13.7/8.13.7) with ESMTP id u7PDRscc022699 for ; Thu, 25 Aug 2016 15:27:54 +0200 Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 1bcuZK-0002dh-SW for rs_out_1@blacksheep.org; Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:19:42 +0100 Received: from [195.171.43.32] (helo=relay1.thorcom.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 1bcuZJ-0002dY-Vj for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:19:41 +0100 Received: from smtpout4.wanadoo.co.uk ([80.12.242.68] helo=smtpout.wanadoo.co.uk) by relay1.thorcom.net with esmtp (Exim 4.87) (envelope-from ) id 1bcuZH-00078m-K7 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:19:40 +0100 Received: from AGB ([95.150.81.107]) by mwinf5d49 with ME id bRKd1t00A2JvhPj03RKd5w; Thu, 25 Aug 2016 15:19:38 +0200 X-ME-Helo: AGB X-ME-Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2016 15:19:38 +0200 X-ME-IP: 95.150.81.107 Message-ID: From: "Graham" To: Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:19:37 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Importance: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Windows Live Mail 14.0.8117.416 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V14.0.8117.416 X-Scan-Signature: bb953ecadee360a40f72202c1637b86b Subject: LF: sensors that predict when the Northern Lights will be visible in the UK. Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_001C_01D1FEDB.B5D67A00" X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: owner-rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rs_out_1@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.56 on 10.1.3.11 Status: O X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 8618 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_001C_01D1FEDB.B5D67A00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 73-G, )) A lawnmower has been blamed for wrongly triggering sensors that predict = when the Northern Lights will be visible in the UK. A red alert issued via the Aurora Watch mailing list was withdrawn after = sensor readings were found to be "spurious". An investigation revealed a lawnmower had got too close to one sensor, = triggering a "massive spike" in data. Aurora Watch said it was looking into ways to avoid the incident being = repeated. The bogus alert was issued during the afternoon of 23 August, after a = magnetometer at the University of Lancaster recorded a surge in = geomagnetic activity. Trim grass Aurora Watch is run by scientists at the university and takes readings = from lots of magnetometers to work out when the aurora borealis will be = visible across Britain. The project draws on magnetometers in Lancaster, Aberdeen, the Faroe = Islands and further field. The alert was withdrawn four hours after being released as it emerged = only one sensor had recorded the spike in activity. A later update posted to the Aurora Watch webpage said an investigation = had revealed that a groundskeeper using a "sit-on mower" to trim grass = had been driving too close to the sensor, prompting the spike. "We'll work with the facilities team to try and avoid an incident such = as this occurring in the future," said the scientists. They explained any metal placed on the instrument or machinery operating = nearby could trick it into recording more activity than was actually = present. Readings from the Lancaster sensor were not typically used to trigger = alerts, they said, but problems with the main sensor in Aberdeen on 23 = August meant it had become the lead monitor. ------=_NextPart_000_001C_01D1FEDB.B5D67A00 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
73-G,=20 ))

A lawnmower has been blamed for wrongly = triggering sensors that predict when the Northern Lights will be visible = in the=20 UK.

A=20 red alert issued via the Aurora=20 Watch mailing list was withdrawn after sensor readings were = found to be=20 "spurious".

An=20 investigation revealed a lawnmower had got too close to one sensor, = triggering a=20 "massive spike" in data.

Aurora=20 Watch said it was looking into ways to avoid the incident being = repeated.

The=20 bogus alert was issued during the afternoon of 23 August, after a = magnetometer=20 at the University of Lancaster recorded a surge in geomagnetic = activity.

Trim grass Aurora=20 Watch is run by scientists at the university and takes readings from = lots of=20 magnetometers to work out when the aurora borealis will be visible = across=20 Britain.

The=20 project draws on magnetometers in Lancaster, Aberdeen, the Faroe Islands = and=20 further field.

The=20 alert was withdrawn four hours after being released as it emerged only=20 one sensor had recorded the spike in activity.

A=20 later update posted to the Aurora Watch webpage said an investigation = had=20 revealed that a groundskeeper using a "sit-on mower" to trim grass had = been=20 driving too close to the sensor, prompting the spike.

"We'll=20 work with the facilities team to try and avoid an incident such as this=20 occurring in the future," said the scientists.

They=20 explained any metal placed on the instrument or machinery operating = nearby could=20 trick it into recording more activity than was actually present.

Readings=20 from the Lancaster sensor were not typically used to trigger alerts, = they said,=20 but problems with the main sensor in Aberdeen on 23 August meant it had = become=20 the lead monitor.

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