Should we rally to put the world to work hardening our electronics for the next great solar Coronal Mass Ejection?
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ETpro (
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February 17th, 2011
This evening and tomorrow, the Earth will be hit with a large solar flare. We are moving out of a solar minimum and entering the next solar maximum, a swing that happens in an 11 year cycle. The last solar maximum was a rather mild one, but there is no way known to predict in advance which ones will be severe. In 1958, a particularly energetic one disrupted communications on Earth. But since then, our electrical grid and communications networks have become much more vulnerable and much more vital to our way of life.
More disturbing, there is a grand cycle of about 100 years between very massive Coronal Mass Ejections. The last of these occurred in 1859 and set ⅔rds of the Earth’s skies ablaze with glowing aurora displays. It also knocked out power grids that were just blossoming then, set compasses to spinning wildly, and took down the entire telegraph network across the Earth. And since that was over 150 years ago, we are now overdue for a repeat performance. This is serious enough to even have Fox News believing in science.
When engineers built the seawall and canal system around New Orleans, they knew it would not withstand a category 3 storm or greater, and they knew that such a storm would eventually hit the city, and yet they did nothing to prepare for it. They reasoned that maybe it wouldn’t happen while they were around. Now, at a time when so many are out of work and when the global economy and very life of so many hangs in the balance if our electrical grid and communications networks all get simultaneously fried, why don’t we muster the international resolve to put people to work fixing the grid and networks in advance of what is sure to eventually hit us?
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With this all I could find on preparations:
“Dr Fisher said precautions could be taken including creating back up systems for hospitals and power grids and allow development on satellite “safe modes”.
The government has said it was aware of the threat and “contingency plans were in place” to cope with the fall out from such a storm.
These included allowing for certain transformers at the edge of the National Grid to be temporarily switched off and to improve voltage levels throughout the network.
The National Risk Register, established in 2008 to identify different dangers to Britain, also has “comprehensive” plans on how to handle a complete outage of electricity supplies”
we had better prepare for life without power.
Source
Frankly, I think it might do the world good to go for a few days without electronics.
I would love to see this….But I have limited knowledge of solar flares….
Where is it going to hit? One site says:
“People are psyched because this solar flare will enhance the Northern Lights, a naturally occurring atmospheric light show that’s visible in the Northeast. (Sorry, Southerners!) The show this year could be out-of-this-world. Time to party!”
And
“Bottom line is that if you’re in the Northeast, own a lawn chair, and can find a spot out in the country, then you’re in for a treat. It’s time to party. I wish I could be there to celebrate this awesomeness.”
Is happening in North America? Or Europe? or…..Everywhere?
lawn chair and a furnace!
@marinelife Before Katrian, the official line was we were Well Prepared for any contingency. The city didn’t even have a plan in place to use its fleet of school buses to evacuate those without transportation. The result was many drowned and the school bus flleet was ruined in the flooding.
The fact is we are woefully unprepared for a EMP, whether it comes froma solar flare or a nuclear high-altitude detonation from an enemy.
@YoBob It would not be days. It would take years to rebuoild the infrasctructure it would destroy. In the meantime, banks and ATMs would be dead in the water. Power grids over the entire planet would be fried to a crisp. Billions of people would starve. Food wars would likely erupt.
@coffeenut The solar flare that is happening now should affect the entire Earth’s magnetosphere, but not cause any serious harm. Hopefully it will let some if us living further from the polar regions see the aurora, which is truly a spectacular natural light show. The concern is about the overdue Coronal Mass Ejection that is many orders of magnitude greater than typical solar flares, and capable of inducing currents on satellite and earthbound electronics and electrical distribution systems that fry most or all of them globally.
@faye It’s true, it will be spectacular to watch.
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