Solar storms have and will knock out major tech in the US
on July 16, 2013 @ 7:15 am (Updated: 11:55 am - 7/16/13 )We've all seen the Northern lights - we all know how beautiful they are, but they actually signal severe magnetic storms.Lloyd's of London, the big insurance company, is out with a new report on what might happen to our various electronic control systems if there was a really big solar storm.
They estimate the worst case scenario would leave 20 to 40 million people without power, because a big magnetic storm could induce large currents in electrical lines that could overload transformers and make them explode.
At a presentation in 2011, Louis Lanzerotti on the New Jersey Institute of Technology described the possible effects."Ranging from radiowave interference disruptions which are the cause or the problems for airlines; electrical grid disruptions which are related to electrical currents and pipelines; and also telecommunication circuits under the ocean."
This isn't mere speculation. He said, during the Q&A, that it's already happened.
"For example, in 2006, there was a huge solar radio burst that occurred. Solar radio noise travels at the same speed as the sunlight," explained Lanzerotti. "This solar radio burst knocked out all GPS across the United States and knocked out the vertical landing capabilities for more than 10 minutes across the United States. There was no warning of that at all.
"We don't have to say the sky is falling. We just need to say, 'Hey, we don't understand that, let's do some more study.'"
Lloyd's of London is estimating the worldwide impact of a major solar event would be about $2.6 trillion.
The lesson I take from that is, back everything up, ask yourself from time to time 'what's Plan B' if the lights go out and the cell phones don't work, and always keep a few books and kerosene lamps handy so you can stay entertained while the repair crews are working.
Because your Xbox would likely be fried.
Solar tsunami used to measure Sun's magnetic fieldby Staff WritersLos Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 17, 2013
 File image. |
A solar tsunami observed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the Japanese Hinode spacecraft has been used to provide the first accurate estimates of the Sun's magnetic field. Solar tsunamis are produced by enormous explosions in the Sun's atmosphere called coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
As the CME travels out into space, the tsunami travels across the Sun at speeds of up to 1000 kilometres per second.
Similar to tsunamis on Earth, the shape of solar tsunamis is changed by the environment through which they move. Just as sound travels faster in water than in air, solar tsunamis have a higher speed in regions of stronger magnetic field.
This unique feature allowed the team, led by researchers from UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory, to measure the Sun's magnetic field. The results are outlined in a paper soon to be published in the journal Solar Physics.
Dr David Long, UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, and lead author of the research, said: "We've demonstrated that the Sun's atmosphere has a magnetic field about ten times weaker than a normal fridge magnet."
Using data obtained using the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS), a UK-led instrument on the Japanese Hinode spacecraft, the team measured the density of the solar atmosphere through which the tsunami was travelling.
The combination of imaging and spectral observations provides a rare opportunity to examine the magnetic field which permeates the Sun's atmosphere.
Dr Long noted: "These are rare observations of a spectacular event that reveal some really interesting details about our nearest star."
Visible as loops and other structures in the Sun's atmosphere, the Sun's magnetic field is difficult to measure directly and usually has to be estimated using intensive computer simulations. The Hinode spacecraft has three highly sensitive telescopes, which use visible, X-ray and ultraviolet light to examine both slow and rapid changes in the magnetic field.
The instruments on Hinode act like a microscope to track how the magnetic field around sunspots is generated, shapes itself, and then fades away. These results show just how sensitive these instruments can be, measuring magnetic fields that were previously thought too weak to detect.
The explosions that produce solar tsunamis can send CMEs hurtling towards the Earth. Although protected by its own magnetic field, the Earth is vulnerable to these solar storms as they can adversely affect satellites and technological infrastructure.
Dr Long said: "As our dependency on technology increases, understanding how these eruptions occur and travel will greatly assist in protecting against solar activity."
As the CME travels out into space, the tsunami travels across the Sun at speeds of up to 1000 kilometres per second.
Similar to tsunamis on Earth, the shape of solar tsunamis is changed by the environment through which they move. Just as sound travels faster in water than in air, solar tsunamis have a higher speed in regions of stronger magnetic field.
This unique feature allowed the team, led by researchers from UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory, to measure the Sun's magnetic field. The results are outlined in a paper soon to be published in the journal Solar Physics.
Dr David Long, UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, and lead author of the research, said: "We've demonstrated that the Sun's atmosphere has a magnetic field about ten times weaker than a normal fridge magnet."
Using data obtained using the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS), a UK-led instrument on the Japanese Hinode spacecraft, the team measured the density of the solar atmosphere through which the tsunami was travelling.
The combination of imaging and spectral observations provides a rare opportunity to examine the magnetic field which permeates the Sun's atmosphere.
Dr Long noted: "These are rare observations of a spectacular event that reveal some really interesting details about our nearest star."
Visible as loops and other structures in the Sun's atmosphere, the Sun's magnetic field is difficult to measure directly and usually has to be estimated using intensive computer simulations. The Hinode spacecraft has three highly sensitive telescopes, which use visible, X-ray and ultraviolet light to examine both slow and rapid changes in the magnetic field.
The instruments on Hinode act like a microscope to track how the magnetic field around sunspots is generated, shapes itself, and then fades away. These results show just how sensitive these instruments can be, measuring magnetic fields that were previously thought too weak to detect.
The explosions that produce solar tsunamis can send CMEs hurtling towards the Earth. Although protected by its own magnetic field, the Earth is vulnerable to these solar storms as they can adversely affect satellites and technological infrastructure.
Dr Long said: "As our dependency on technology increases, understanding how these eruptions occur and travel will greatly assist in protecting against solar activity."
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