solar flares in 2025 not unlike those from 1859?

Qonundrum · Apr 18, 2022

https://wired.me/science/sun-solar-storm-2025-impact-on-earth/

Whip out the marshmallows and s'mores packets, especially if communication systems get charred to a crisp.

Or rather, a solar storm. Solar flares sounds like something you'd wear to Studio 54 before chucking them off...

Excerpt:

CRAVING SOMETHING NEW to worry about? How about solar magnetic storms, which are due to reach a cyclical peak in 2025—and could cause widespread havoc and trillions of dollars of damage on Earth.

...

Usually, we get lucky with these solar storms failing to collide with Earth, but scientists warn our good fortune won’t last forever and we’re long overdue an event of the magnitude of the so-called Carrington Event in 1859. Named after British astronomer and witness Richard Carrington, aurora were seen in Cuba, Australia, and elsewhere. Commonly known as the southern and northern lights, aurora usually only appear at Earth’s poles where the magnetic field, magnetically charged solar particles, nitrogen, and oxygen interact.

BillJ · Apr 18, 2022

Bring it on!

Qonundrum · Apr 19, 2022

BillJ said:
Bring it on!

Here's another excerpt:

“The electric grid could be shorted. It’s not just a one-time loss—it will take 2-10 years to recover, so we might be set back by about 20 years if something like this happens,” says Sreenivasan, predicting such as a catastrophic event would cause trillions of dollars of damage.

It's too soon to tell whether the projected date is true, but what precautions would, should, could be done to mitigate such a theoretical disaster? Certain regions would be better off than others, mostly the temperate ones where winter doesn't get below 60f and summers higher than 90f.

More:

Satellites orbit Earth in the thermosphere and the exosphere. Unprotected by our planet’s magnetic field, particles from a solar storm could deposit charge on satellites’ electronics, short-circuiting them and rendering them inoperable. “If we lose satellite communications, we’ll have no TV, no communications—military or civil. Drones, aircraft carriers, ships will not work. No internet. No GPS,” says Sreenivasan. Usually, satellites boost their speed about four times per year to offset the drag effects of particles in the thermosphere and the exosphere that cause them to slow and drift lower—they would eventually burn up in the atmosphere if left unchecked. A major solar storm would require satellites to be maneuvered back into orbit every week, says Sreenivasan. “Many satellites get lost,” he says.

That might not be a good thing. Especially if agricultural systems are dependent on the satellites... No TV? Then what?

(Sreenivasan) wants humanity to collaborate to put a communications satellite in orbit around the sun to observe its behavior. If the solar particles from the coronal mass ejection reach the Earth with a magnetic polarity opposite to that of the nearest pole, the two will be attracted together, depositing energy across the planet. The damage will be less should the polarities be the same because they will repel each other. We will only be able to confirm the particles’ polarity minutes before they reach Earth. Really, we can do little in response, although shutting down satellites would reduce the damage.

Only minutes to detect. Maybe they can put up something akin to an electric fence and, the moment they know for sure, connect the power source with the appropriate polarity and repel the little suckers before they fry everything. But it sounds like only so much can be done...

BillJ · Apr 19, 2022

Qonundrum said:
It's too soon to tell whether the projected date is true, but what precautions would, should, could be done to mitigate such a theoretical disaster?

We seem intent on bringing Armageddon on ourselves. Whether this, nuclear war or destruction of the environment, all we little people can do is sit back and watch the show.

:beer:

Jax · Apr 19, 2022

Years ago experts wanted countries to build a back up national power grid (turned off and shielded) for such an event. Expensive yes but one day it will be needed and will save us a decade of despair...

So of course we never did it, never will and one day will pay for it.

JoseNoodles · Apr 19, 2022

Aurora Borealis! At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localized entirely within your kitchen!

Summer Solstice · Apr 19, 2022

Further information on this topic:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190312103717.htm
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210805115530.htm

The first article is about the probability of this happening. The second article is about the sun and solar storms.

If the satellite network did go down, literally everyone would want it to get fixed so I think it would get fixed surprisingly quickly.

Santaman · Apr 20, 2022

Bring back the vacuum tube! Quite resilient against magnetic palaver and even EMP bombs..

dupersuper · Apr 21, 2022

Pardon me for not linking, but Physics Girl did a video.

publiusr · Apr 23, 2022

We had a smaller event recently
https://www.space.com/solar-flare-radio-blackouts-september-2022
https://www.coasttocoastam.com/article/did-a-piece-of-the-sun-really-break-off/

Warning tech
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-scientist-two-stage-solar-flare-early.html

Santaman said:
Bring back the vacuum tube! Quite resilient against magnetic palaver and even EMP bombs..

solar flares in 2025 not unlike those from 1859?

Qonundrum

Just graduated from Camp Ridiculous

BillJ

The King of Kings.

Qonundrum

Just graduated from Camp Ridiculous

BillJ

The King of Kings.

Jax

Admiral

JoseNoodles

Fleet Captain

Summer Solstice

Captain

Santaman

Vice Admiral

dupersuper

Rear Admiral

publiusr

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