The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States have predicted that a large geomagnetic solar storm will hit the Earth on Thursday, April 14, 2022, potentially causing a global blackout.
The Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India (CESSI) also revealed the details of the approaching storm on Twitter. The tweet read, “A halo CME was detected by SOHO LASCO on 11 April. Our model fit indicates a very high probability of Earth impact on 14 April 2022 with speeds ranging between 429-575 km/s+.”
Experts have previously stated that if the coronal mass ejection (CME) is directed at us, the particles might take anywhere from one to five days to reach the earth's surface. The solar wind, which is a constant flow of charged ions released by the sun, functions similarly to a current on a cloud-bound boat. Wind resistance causes CMEs with higher initial speeds to slow down, whereas CMEs with lower initial speeds accelerate.
What is a Solar Storm?
NOAA is a United States Department of Commerce research and regulatory agency. According to the NOAA, a solar storm is a substantial disruption of the geomagnetic field that occurs when solar radiation efficiently transfers energy into the space environment around the planet. Storms are caused by variations in solar energy, which create massive changes in current flow, plasmas, and fields in the geomagnetic field.
What is Geomagnetic Storm?
Geomagnetic storms are short disruptions of the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere (also known as the magnetosphere) caused by bursts of radiation and charged particles generated by the Sun. The surrounding magnetic field deflects this solar material towards the poles as it collides with our planet at high speeds. It reacts with substances deeper in the atmosphere, causing auroras to appear as "curtains" of light. Meanwhile, the fast-moving charges generate their own powerful magnetic field, which induces a new set of electrical currents on the ground below.
CME and its consequences:
Massive expulsions of magnetised material from the sun's corona, or upper atmosphere, are known as coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. If such charged clouds hit the Earth, they may disrupt the earth's magnetic field, causing satellites, energy grids, and telecommunication systems to malfunction.
Consequences of Geomagnetic Storms:
A G3-level storm, according to NOAA, is unlikely to cause major infrastructure damage. It may, however, result in aurora (northern lights) displays being visible from locations further away from the poles than usual. Ionized particles in the upper atmosphere interact with air particles to form auroras when solar storm forces reach the earth's surface.
According to scientists, the sudden increase in electricity can harm sensitive electrical devices. Overheating power transformers can cause long-term outages. Long metal structures, such as oil and gas pipelines, can carry currents, which can speed up corrosion and have disastrous repercussions if proper safety precautions are not taken. As a result of the ionospheric fluctuations, GPS signals may be interrupted, resulting in inaccurate readings
According to scientists, the dangerous UV, infrared, and gamma radiation are all absorbed by the atmosphere, and humans are not in immediate danger.
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Geomagnetic Storms Recorded in the Past:
Since the early nineteenth century, geomagnetic storms have been observed, and scientific evidence from Antarctic core research has found indications of an even more massive solar storm, now known as the Miyake Event, that occurred around 774 CE. That solar outburst triggered the largest and fastest carbon-14 rise ever recorded. Geomagnetic storms in the upper atmosphere generate significant levels of cosmic radiation, leading to the formation of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon.
In 993 CE, a solar storm 60 percent shorter than the Miyake Incident occurred. According to ice core evidence, massive solar storms of the magnitude of the Miyake and Carrington incidents occur once every 500 years on average.
(Feature Image Credit: DNA)
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