Solar/Space physicist.
SOLAR VR
WHAT ARE SOLAR STORMS?
Solar storms, or Coronal Mass Ejections, are clouds of material coming from the Sun’s atmosphere and sent into space during the most intense events happening in the solar system: solar flares.
When they happen, they interact with the space environment of planets: they are at the origin of the auroras on Earth, as well as Jupiter and Saturn.
As our human societies evolve, we rely more and more and electronic devices and satellites. The latter are needed for the global positioning system (GPS) and telecommunications. Image a world without emails, Skype, Twitter and Instagram! These technologies are all vulnerable to solar storms. As they impact the Earth, they can damage the electronic systems aboard satellites, blackout radio communications, and create surges in the current transported on national electricity grids.
Space weather, or understanding the Sun’s behaviour and its influence on planets and how solar storms propagate, is therefore an important research area. Several countries (in the USA at NOAA or in the UK at the MET office) are now developing space weather centres to provide 24/7 monitoring of the Sun.
Do you want to know more?
There are several websites which explain the science behind solar storms.
Why not first looking at these two?
NOAA – space weather Education and Outreach
Do You need more material for your classes?
We can provide some! Just reach us by email and we can advise on some other websites to look at.
DEDICATED EDUCATOR DR. MIHO JANVIER HONORED BY UNIVERSITY
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DR. MIHO JANVIER REVOLUTIONIZES FIELD WITH NEW RESEARCH
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INTERVIEW WITH DR. MIHO JANVIER ON CHANGES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
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SOLAR STORM VR IS AVAILABLE HERE
Solar Storm VR was presented exclusively at science festivals in 2016.
In the UK, we toured at Smashfest UK, International Edinburgh Science Festival, The Times Cheltenham Science Festival.
In France, we showcased at Journées de l’Association Française de Réalité Virtuelle and Fête de la Science.
Since 2017, Solar Storm VR is freely available for downloads and streaming.
VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS
Created for virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift or the HTC VIVE, as well as VR cardboards, Solar Storm VR can be downloaded here:
English Version: SSVR-EN
French Version: SSVR-FR
How to use?
To look at the video, download GoPro VR (https://vr.gopro.com), a free 360° video player (it should automatically recognise the headset when plugged in).
(To setup the stereoscopic view correctly, go to Preferences>General Settings>Input Stereoscopy>SideA|SideB)
(Note that you can also watch the movie directly on your computer with GoPro VR and without headsets)
VIRTUAL REALITY FOR SMARTPHONES
Youtube 360° (Smartphone/tablet)
You can now directly stream the video (supported in 360° by some browser such as Chrome and youtube apps on smartphones).
Click here (english version) – Cliquez ici (version française)
BROCHURE
Download the pdf here.
We thought you might want to read a brochure…
So we prepared one! You can read about Solar Storm VR and have a look at some festivals we showcased.
THIS IS HOW SOLAR STORM VR WAS BORN
July 2015: We are awarded a Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) Public Engagement Small Awards.
August 2015: Making of the Scenario
September – November 2015: Storyboarding & colour concept
December 2015 – February 2016: Video in 360°, recording of the voice-over by Justin Dorey, and music conception by Dale Sumner.
February 2016: Smashfest UK. During three days, we showcased the first public version of SolarStormVR at the Albany Theater in Deptford, London (UK).
March 2016: 2nd version in preparation
April 2016: Edinburgh International Science Festival. During 4 days, we showcased SolarStormVR at the City Art Centre and at the BigBangBash event at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
May 2016: Final version in preparation
June 2016: The Times Cheltenham Science Festival. During the whole week, we were under the Space Dome, showcasing SolarStormVR to 600 persons, from schools to families and adults in Cheltenham.
September 2016: With fundings from the Société Française d’Astronomie et d’Astrophysique, the scenario is translated in French and we record the french voice-over with Ayana Fuentes-Uno.
October 2016: The project is shown at the Association Française de Réalité Virtuelle and at the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale during the National French Science Festival
January 2017: The project wins one of Diagonale Paris-Saclay at Université Paris-Saclay science outreach grant. More developments to come, stay tuned!
MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND SSVR
Miho Janvier
Miho obtained her PhD in 2011 in physical sciences at the University of Kyoto in Japan, and has since worked as a solar/space physicist in France and the United Kingdom. She studies solar eruptions happening at the Sun, and the morphology of solar storms during their journey in space. She is also involved in the future European Space Agency Solar Orbiter mission to the Sun.
She loves science communication and has won several prices doing so, from the AXA Research Fund “Science in photograph” contest to the Famelab 2015 Edinburgh jury’s “wildcard”, and has contributed to several articles appearing on the bbc and the guardian.
Where to find Miho:
Miho is working at the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale near Paris, France
.
Tom Saville
Tom graduated from the Arts Institute at Bournemouth in 2008 with a BA in Film and Animation, and while gaining experience under the wing of Leigh Took at Mattes and Miniatures Pinewood, helped to complete the visual effects for Small Town Folk for director Peter Stanley-Ward and producer Chris Musselwhite. The group of filmmakers became Treehouse Digital, and has served as editor and visual effects designer on many of the projects under the Treehouse banner.
Tom’s interest in visual arts and technology came to a head in 2015, with the development of Solar Storm.
Where to find Tom:
Tom is working at TreeHouse Digital Ltd in Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Disclaimer
Hi!
We thank you very much for visiting our website, and hope you had fun with Solar Storm VR, a virtual reality experience!
We know updates are not as often, and contents as numerous as we would like to, so here is a disclaimer.
The website is maintained by Miho, who works full time as a researcher. Activities around Solar Storm VR are her passion project, she is not paid for it and uses her spare time (whenever there are any!) developing more activities. As such, bear with us as we can be slow! However, please do get in touch if you want to be part of it or even if you want to say hi!