A powerful solar storm in nearly 20 years hit Earth on Friday, sparking magnificent auroras visible from Tasmania to Britain and other parts of the world. Apart from painting the night sky in its surreal hues on Friday, the solar event is likely to continue over the weekend as well.
“This is an unusual and potentially historic event,” Clinton Wallace, Director of the Space Weather Prediction Center of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.
What is a solar storm?
A solar storm stems from a specific activity on the Sun. According to a report on ABC, large ‘clouds’ containing billions of tonnes of plasma embedded within an ejected magnetic field erupt from the Sun's outer atmosphere or corona. This process is called coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and they cause the solar storm, according to NOAA. Unlike solar flares, which reach Earth in minutes, CMEs travel slower, with the current average speed at 800 kilometres (500 miles) per second.
The storm can disrupt satellites and power grids. Authorities have advised satellite operators, airlines, and the power grid to take precautions against potential disruptions caused by changes in Earth's magnetic field.
Impact of solar storm
It majorly interferes with several services, including GPS navigation, weather forecasting, communication, and other satellite-dependent services. Besides that, it also has a significant impact on satellite networks and communication. They can create geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), which can overload electrical systems and cause damage to transformers, issues with voltage regulation, and widespread power outages.
Furthermore, because solar storms increase the amount of solar and cosmic radiation that reaches the top regions of Earth's atmosphere, they also pose health concerns to people, especially aircraft crew and passengers, especially on flights at high latitudes.
Also read | Brazil floods, Dubai rains and more: 6 devastating climate events this year so far
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a Geomagnetic Storm Warning for Friday, May 10, with the possibility of additional solar eruptions leading to continued geomagnetic storm conditions over the weekend.
These storms have the potential to disrupt infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth's surface, affecting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio, and satellite operations. Operators of these systems have been notified by SWPC to take protective measures.
“This is an unusual and potentially historic event,” Clinton Wallace, Director of the Space Weather Prediction Center of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.
What is a solar storm?
A solar storm stems from a specific activity on the Sun. According to a report on ABC, large ‘clouds’ containing billions of tonnes of plasma embedded within an ejected magnetic field erupt from the Sun's outer atmosphere or corona. This process is called coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and they cause the solar storm, according to NOAA. Unlike solar flares, which reach Earth in minutes, CMEs travel slower, with the current average speed at 800 kilometres (500 miles) per second.
The storm can disrupt satellites and power grids. Authorities have advised satellite operators, airlines, and the power grid to take precautions against potential disruptions caused by changes in Earth's magnetic field.
Impact of solar storm
It majorly interferes with several services, including GPS navigation, weather forecasting, communication, and other satellite-dependent services. Besides that, it also has a significant impact on satellite networks and communication. They can create geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), which can overload electrical systems and cause damage to transformers, issues with voltage regulation, and widespread power outages.
Furthermore, because solar storms increase the amount of solar and cosmic radiation that reaches the top regions of Earth's atmosphere, they also pose health concerns to people, especially aircraft crew and passengers, especially on flights at high latitudes.
Also read | Brazil floods, Dubai rains and more: 6 devastating climate events this year so far
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a Geomagnetic Storm Warning for Friday, May 10, with the possibility of additional solar eruptions leading to continued geomagnetic storm conditions over the weekend.
These storms have the potential to disrupt infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth's surface, affecting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio, and satellite operations. Operators of these systems have been notified by SWPC to take protective measures.
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