Free Radiation Monitoring Dashboard — How It Works
This free radiation monitor provides real-time reporting on global ionizing radiation levels, solar weather conditions, and geomagnetic activity. All data is sourced directly from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), the world's authoritative source for space weather forecasting and solar event reporting. The dashboard updates automatically every two minutes, giving you continuous access to live space weather telemetry without any registration, API keys, or fees.
The Kp Index chart displays the last 24 hours of planetary geomagnetic activity, measured on a 0 to 9 scale. This index is essential for understanding when geomagnetic storms may affect GPS accuracy, radio communications, power grid stability, and aurora visibility. A Kp value of 5 or above indicates a geomagnetic storm. The color-coded bar chart makes it easy to spot storm periods at a glance, and the status badge provides an instant summary of current geomagnetic conditions — from quiet to extreme storm levels.
Solar Wind & Magnetometer Reporting
The solar wind particle stream visualization shows real-time data from the DSCOVR and ACE spacecraft positioned at the L1 Lagrange point, approximately 1.5 million kilometres upstream of Earth. Particle speed and density are mapped directly to the animation — faster solar wind creates faster-moving particles, and higher proton density increases particle brightness. When solar wind speeds exceed 500 km/s, the display shifts from cyan to yellow, and above 700 km/s it turns red, providing an immediate visual warning of elevated conditions.
The magnetometer Bz timeline tracks the north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field over the past six hours. When Bz turns negative (southward), it enables magnetic reconnection with Earth's magnetosphere, allowing solar wind energy to couple more efficiently into our magnetic field. Extended periods of strongly negative Bz are the primary driver of geomagnetic storms, making this one of the most important parameters for space weather forecasting.
Worldwide Radiation Sensor Network
The global sensor network displays estimated ground-level radiation readings for 12 cities worldwide, including Tokyo, Berlin, New York, London, Sydney, Brussels, Reykjavik, Singapore, Moscow, and Cape Town. Two historically significant sites — Pripyat (near Chernobyl) and Fukushima — are included with elevated baseline values reflecting legacy contamination. Each sensor card includes a sparkline showing recent variation, and the interactive world map lets you visualise all station locations with hover-to-inspect functionality.
Ground-level radiation estimates are calculated using a physics-based model that combines known geological baselines per city with real-time cosmic ray modulation data. Higher geomagnetic latitude increases cosmic ray exposure due to weaker magnetic shielding, and elevated Kp index values modulate the cosmic ray intensity reaching Earth's surface. While these are modeled estimates rather than direct sensor readings, they use the same real NOAA data that drives professional space weather reporting systems.
Free Tool — No Signup Required
This radiation monitoring dashboard is completely free to use with no account creation, no ads, and no data collection. It runs entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript and public NOAA APIs. Whether you are a space weather enthusiast, a radio amateur monitoring HF propagation conditions, a researcher tracking geomagnetic storm impacts, or simply curious about the radiation environment around you, this tool provides professional-grade reporting in an accessible, visually engaging format. It is one of over 50 free browser-based tools available at jasperbernaers.com — all built with the same commitment to real data, zero friction, and beautiful design.