Surely you have ever heard of the solar storm both in the movies and in the media. It is a type of phenomenon that can seriously affect our planet if it occurs. The biggest doubt that this type of phenomenon generates is whether the Earth is in danger of being attacked by this solar storm.
Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you what the solar storm is and what consequences it would have on our planet.
Key features
A solar storm is a phenomenon that takes place due to the activity of the sun. The sun and its activity interfere with the earth's magnetic field even though the star is very far from our planet. There are many people who believe that solar storms cannot cause real damage, although it has been shown on some occasions that they can. These phenomena occur as a result of solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These eruptions generate a solar wind and bursts of particles that travel in the direction of our planet.
Once it enters the Earth's magnetic field, a geomagnetic storm can be generated that can last several days. Within a solar storm, we have magnetic activity on the sun's surface, which can cause sunspots. If these sunspots are larger, they can even cause solar flares. All of these activities are usually induced by plasma from the sun. When this plasma is ejected, the second phenomenon known as coronal mass ejections occurs.
Due to the distance between the Earth and the sun, it normally takes about 3 days for the particles to arrive. This is one of the reasons why you can see the aurora boreal. The sun has cycles of 11 years and scientists believed that the peak where they have the greatest solar activity was in 2013One of the most severe solar storms on record occurred in 1859 and is known as the Carrington event. This solar storm caused severe electromagnetic problems across the planet. The northern lights could be seen in places where they cannot normally be seen. Major problems also arose with electromagnetic devices. On the other hand, there are other types of solar storms which, although less serious, can also affect our technology.
Other, milder solar storms occurred in 1958, 1989, and 2000. This storm had fewer effects, but it did cause blackouts and satellite damage. To better understand this phenomenon, it's helpful to explore other aspects related to solar storms.
Risks of a solar storm
If this phenomenon is large, it could disrupt electricity on the planet. One of the most serious effects it could have is that it would wipe out electricity around the world. It would be necessary to replace all the wiring to restore power. It also seriously affects communications and satellites. We cannot deny that humans depend largely on satellites. Today, we use satellites for everything. However, a solar storm could destroy or render the satellites inoperable. For more information on possible disruptions, you can consult our article on .
It can also affect astronauts in space conducting various studies. A solar storm can release large doses of radiation. Radiation is harmful to our health. It can cause cancer and problems in future generations. The problem with radiation is its exposure and the amount. We are all exposed to some degree of radiation from devices and electronics, to a greater or lesser extent. However, anyone who is exposed to prolonged amounts of radiation is more likely to suffer from some of these illnesses.
Many animals are sensitive to changes in the Earth's magnetic field, so a solar storm could cause them to be disoriented. Animals such as birds that are guided by the earth's magnetic field to carry out their migrations, They could become disoriented and die, endangering the survival of the species. To learn more about the radiation that can reach the Earth, you can read about solar radiation on our planet.
Another risk of this phenomenon is that it can leave entire nations without electricity for months. This would cause serious damage to the economy of the states and it can take years to return to the same point as today. We have become so dependent on technologies that our entire economy revolves around them.
What would happen if the biggest solar storm took place today?
Since we've already seen that solar storms are capable of disrupting communication and energy networks and causing power outages, it's safe to say that if we had a storm like the one in 1859 today, life would come to a complete standstill. During Carrington's storm, the northern lights were recorded in Cuba and Honolulu, while the southern lights could be seen from Santiago, Chile. If you'd like to learn more about what happened during this historic event, visit our article on What would happen if a solar storm hit the Earth?.
It is said that the auroral flashes were so powerful that one could read a newspaper by the light alone. Although many of the reports of the Carrington storm have been dismissed as mere curiosities, if something like this were to happen today, high-tech infrastructure could be paralyzed. As we mentioned before, humankind has become totally dependent on technology. Our economy is closely tied to it. If technology stops working, the economy stalls.
Some experts say that electrical disturbances as strong as those that damaged telegraph equipment (known as the internet at that time) will now be much more dangerous. Solar storms have three phases, although not all of them have to occur in a storm. The first thing is that solar flares appear. This is where X-rays and ultraviolet light ionize the upper layer of the atmosphere. This is how interference occurs in radio communication.
Later comes the radiation storm and it can be very dangerous for astronauts in space. Finally, the third phase involves the formation of a coronal mass, a cloud of charged particles that can take days to reach the Earth's atmosphere. When it reaches the atmosphere, all the particles coming from the sun interact with the Earth's magnetic field. This causes strong electromagnetic fluctuations. There is concern about the consequences this would have on GPS, modern cell phones, airplanes, and automobiles. For more information on these phenomena, find details in our post on geomagnetic storms.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the solar storm.