Solar Storms

The sun is the source of bountiful, free energy. Solar storms, however, can produce a massive amount of energy that can be damaging to both machine and human alike.

Solar Storms

The term solar storm typically refers to a geomagnetic storm. There is a magnetic field surrounding the Earth. This is the reason why a compass moves the way it does. Out in space there are also solar winds. These solar winds are actually charged particles that leave the upper atmosphere surrounding the sun. Solar winds are responsible for the beautiful Northern Lights, but also solar storms.

A solar storm occurs when a solar flare, which is a strong explosion in the sun’s atmosphere, sends out a solar wind. This solar wind travels through space and usually will hit the magnetic field surrounding the Earth about a day after the solar flare occurs. This does not happen after every solar flare, however. It will only occur if the shock wave from the solar flare moves in a direction towards Earth.

When a solar storm occurs, it brings with it many effects. First, auroras are able to be seen in the North and South Poles. There is also the danger of increased radiation. These storms produce radiation that can bring with it the same amount of damage that a nuclear blast might. Luckily, the atmosphere and magnetosphere protect us from this radiation if we are on the surface of Earth. However, astronauts and those flying in high-altitude planes can be affected. Satellites monitor these events, and flight plans and the altitudes that planes fly on can be adjusted in order to protect those onboard.

Solar storms have the biggest impact on communication systems. Amateur radio, shortwave radios, and radio signals used to communicate with ships and airplanes can be disrupted when a solar storm happens. Air control radio signals and military detection systems can also be impacted. GPS navigation systems aren’t able to work as well as usual and can be off by a few miles during solar storms. Solar storms can even impact the position of satellites in space. Pipelines and electrical lines can also be disturbed by a particularly strong solar storm.

Perhaps the most interesting impact on Earth’s inhabitants during a solar storm is the effect it has on some animals. Animals such as whales, dolphins and homing pigeons actually have “compasses” in their bodies and a solar storm can throw off their ability to navigate. In particular, homing pigeons seem to get lost a much higher rate during solar storms and their keepers have begun to check solar storm warnings before releasing the birds.

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