NASA, IBM’s AI model set to unlock Sun mysteries

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is set to revolutionize solar science with the launch of a new AI model named Surya Heliophysics Foundation Model after being trained on 9 years of observations from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory.

NASA in partnership with IBM has developed a Surya model powered by AI to assess vast amounts of solar data, providing an early warning system regarding solar eruptions and space weather that damages satellites and communication systems.

The model also gives insights into Earth’s upper atmosphere affected by the Sun’s ultraviolet outputs.

The experiment was conducted on historical solar flare data. Consequently, the Surya model predicted the occurrence of solar eruption within 24 hours with 16 percent better accuracy than standard machine learning model by generating the visual image of flare.

According to Juan Bernabé-Moreno at IBM Research Europe, “I love to think of this model as an AI telescope where you can look at the sun and you can understand the moods.”

Kevin Murphy, chief science data officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington said “We are advancing data-driven science by embedding NASA’s deep scientific expertise into cutting-edge AI models.”

“By developing a foundation model trained on NASA’s heliophysics data, we’re making it easier to analyse the complexities of the Sun’s behaviour with unprecedented speed and precision. This model empowers broader understanding of how solar activity impacts critical systems and technologies that we all rely on here on Earth,” Murphy added.

Lisa Upton at Southwest Research Institute in Colorado shed light on the efficacy of the AI model to track the solar activity on the far side of the sun and at the poles, where NASA’s scientific instruments fail to make correct observations.

The prediction of solar activity is important as the fiery flares can impact Earth with high energy particles, X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation. These flares disrupt GPS, communication satellites, and harm astronauts and people on commercial flights.