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PF trendSep 10, 2021 1:09:07 PM IST
Solar storms are fascinating phenomena to observe. But the next time a mass and energy eruption from the sun likely hits Earth, it could cause the internet to go down for months, new research shows.
An article by Sangeetha Abdu Jyothi at the SIGCOMM 2021 data communications conference postulated the likelihood of a solar storm hitting the planet. Jyothi, who is based at the University of California at Irvine, says the storm could actually be a solar super storm, comparing it to a black swan event.
Solar storms are massive eruptions of plasma and charged particles projected into space by the sun. Image credit: NASA
What are solar storms?
Solar storms are massive eruptions of plasma and charged particles projected into space by the sun. These flares, which include flares, protrusions, sunspots, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can overwhelm Earth’s atmosphere if they occur in large enough quantities.
While the Earth’s atmosphere can normally act as a defense against harmful radiation, if it is overwhelmed by the solar storm, the result could be devastating.
Harmful particles from the solar storm can produce their own magnetic fields, which could change the Earth’s magnetic field and affect the compass readings. It could also release particles into Earth’s atmosphere that could cause an aurora on the planet, such as the Northern Lights. It could also produce massive electrical surges in power grids and induce electricity in long pipelines.
What does the new research say?
The research paper, titled “Solar Superstorms: Planning for an Internet Apocalypse” states that there is a 1.6 to 12% possibility that a solar storm powerful enough to cause catastrophic disturbances could occur in the next. decade. In addition to causing significant damage To the planet’s internet infrastructure, the storm could also impact power grids around the world.
It could also cause serious damage to repeaters, used to boost signals in long-haul fiber-optic cables, and to huge submarine cables that provide internet connectivity between continents.
Has Earth ever faced a solar storm?
Very little data is currently available on solar storms. Only three large storms have been recorded so far, the most recent in 2014. Earth has been relatively unscathed.
The most violent solar storm, known as the Carrington event, was recorded in 1859. The storm derailed compasses around the world, while the Northern Lights, or Northern Lights, were seen in Colombia, which falls near the equator.
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