Techno-disaster alert: Massive sun storm reaches Earth

Published time: March 08, 2012 14:08
Edited time: March 08, 2012 18:08
A handout picture shows Coronal Mass Ejection as viewed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory. (Reuters / NASA / SDO / Handout)

The strongest sun storm in six years has reached Earth early Thursday, endangering the operations of satellites, power grids and navigation systems.

­The storm was unleashed by two massive solar flares earlier this week, rated X, the strongest type on scientists’ scales. The flares hurled a wave of solar plasma and charged particles into space.

As a result of the solar tempest the Northern Lights may be visible at lower latitudes than usual. The beautiful atmospheric phenomenon is caused by the collision of charged particles with our planet’s magnetic field.

However, the consequences of the storm are not limited to spectacular sky shows only. The severe space weather may interfere with satellite communication, affecting phone connections and navigation.

The cloud of charged particles launched a geomagnetic storm in the Earth's protective magnetic field, which keeps radiation out. Although the storm cannot destroy the field, it can severely shake it, potentially affecting power grids.

As a precaution, power grid operators have been alerted and airlines are rerouting flights away from normal polar routes, said NOAA space weather scientist Joseph Kunches.

He also said that the effects of the storm will last for about 24 hours, ending Friday.

Since the beginning of this year, Earth has already been battered by a strong solar storm, but scientists say the current tempest is stronger than the one that happened in January.

Comments (23)

A.Smith 09.03.2012 16:52

by the free add-on Solar flare real time for Firefox (Propfire).

T he point I previously raised was asking why NASA and the US Dept. of Homeland Security appears to be deliberately delaying news of these serious solar powered events.

Russi a realised and paid a very high price for the appearance of delaying announcement of the Chernobyl reactor accident until it was more under control and fully understood regarding the scope of that horrific accident.

Jap an apparently took no notes from Russia's bad experience with Chernobyl and now there are lots of rumours of Tokyo ambulances carrying citizens suffering from radiation related conditions to area hospitals non-stop. Rumors and articles of Japanese deformed baby's being aborted or eliminated. Officials coming out to really torpedo Japan for not notifying it's citizens for months regarding the melt-down's and blasted, busted open fuel rods. Once radioactive Cesium is released into the environment it is 'impossible' to clean up for 300yrs.

In regards to the oxymoron spews by Zionists against those that either outright condemn or do not share their ZioNazi, goose-stepping views and agendas by accusing them of being 'anti-semetic':

The only Semetic Races on Earth now are Arabic and Ethiopian Races. Jew is not a Race and New-Age Jews are certainly NOT the Hebrew Race which disappeared 1,700 years ago. Jews throwing out the term 'anti-semetic' against those that do not support their ZioNazi views,agendas is actually a oxymoron based on the nonsense that New-Age Jews are the long vanished Hebrew Race/Tribes.

European's learning to speak the Seminole Native American language doesn't make them in any fashion members of the Seminole Native People and it certainly doesn't make those white European's the owners of the State of Florida where the Seminole People lived in.


+4

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Mike (unregistered) 09.03.2012 07:05

Well it's a good thing we didn't have satellites, power grids,  navigation systems and the Internet six years ago!

+3

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Joseph (unregistered) 09.03.2012 04:59

The fact that we are having a solar storn is not as exciting, as the fact that the media is hyping it up so much, that it's hard for the average person to determine what is hype, and what is fact. The real fact is that any amount of exposure to the suns rays can be harmful to you. The things that most every body do everyday will determine his or her fate.The point is: Limit your exposure to sunlight each and every day, and then you will have done the best you can. Simple and common sense advice is always best, and you have to decide what you are going to follow, but if you  take everything into account, you have a far more chance of getting hurt in a car, then with the light of the sun. But still use common sense, please.

+2

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