Solar Flare

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/0...-on-earth/

A giant blast of plasma spat from the sun at as much as 4 million miles per hour Tuesday -- by some measures the largest solar event since late 2006 -- and it could lead to serious issues on Earth, forcing some planes to reroute, knocking out power grids, and blacking out radios.

The sun unleashed the cosmic double whammy late March 6, erupting with two major flares to cap a busy day of powerful solar storms, Space.com reported. One of the flares is the most powerful solar eruption so far this year.

“Super Tuesday? You bet!” joked Joseph Kunches, a space weather scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Both of the huge flares ranked as X-class storms, the strongest type of solar flares the sun can have. They followed several weaker, but still powerful, sun storms on Tuesday and came just days after another major solar flare on Sunday night.

“By some measures this is the strongest one since December of 2006,” Kunches explained. Solar activity has already led to an R3 level radio blackout on NOAA’s space weather scale, he explained, a midstrength event on a scale that reaches to R5. Such effects are caused by X-ray emissions from the sun.

The bigger effects will hit the planet over the next 24 hours.

For one thing, geomagnetic storms -- disturbances in the geomagnetic field that surrounds the planet -- should hit the G3 level, midway up the scale. That could lead to surges in power lines (a major problem for power companies) and issues with satellites.

“Power grid operators have all been alerted, as well as the regulatory agencies that all pay attention to this,” Kunches said.

GPS users will also be affected because of the highly charged atmosphere; it’s very possible that certain types of applications will be interrupted, specifically highly precise calculations and the high-frequency communications that airplanes rely upon.

Indeed, some polar flights have already been affected, he said.

“Some have already taken action to reroute to ensure their [high-frequency communication],” Kunches said.

Solar radiation storms could reach as high as S4, he noted, which could cause astronauts on the International Space Station to seek shelter from the heightened radiation levels associated with such a storm.

These effects should last about 24 hours, probably lingering overnight into the early morning hours on Friday, pending another eruption -- “and we think there will be more coming,” Kunches said.

The upside? Some areas may experience a wonderful display of the Northern Lights.

“It’s the treat that we get when the sun erupts,” he said.

Mixed feelings. Anyone with some real knowledge of solar flare disruption wish to share? I'd really rather not keep my PC off for 24 hours, but better that than have a fried pile of scrap.

Nah. Just some satellites and GPS stuff will be down. Your computer will be fine, except perhaps the internet.

Nah. Just some satellites and GPS stuff will be down. Your computer will be fine, except perhaps the internet.

The power surges could pose a threat to consumer electronics that aren't properly shielded by standard surge protectors.

They've gotten better at keeping the grids stable in larger cities but smaller ones and more rural areas often haven't upgraded enough to handle it.

The power surges could pose a threat to consumer electronics that aren't properly shielded by standard surge protectors.

They've gotten better at keeping the grids stable in larger cities but smaller ones and more rural areas often haven't upgraded enough to handle it.

I guess I'll unplug my PS3, but everything else is on a UPS so it should be fine.

Has there been a lot of solar activity this year or are they just reporting it more? This is the third major solar event in the last 2 months.

Has there been a lot of solar activity this year or are they just reporting it more? This is the third major solar event in the last 2 months.

2012!




Eh... I just hope my dad's computer doesn't get screwed up at all. Then, I won't be able to play Dragon Ball Online. I'll be back to only having Maple again.

This is it. The end is nigh.

Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes and the dead rising from their graves! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!

Has there been a lot of solar activity this year or are they just reporting it more? This is the third major solar event in the last 2 months.

It’s because the Sun is entering another Solar maximum period. It is meant to peak in 2013.

I think it makes such “interesting” news since it something that could have devastating consequence’s and we can’t really predict it at all. I think at most they have around 2 days notice of the suns activity.

This is it. The end is nigh.

Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes and the dead rising from their graves! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!

Wow mark you're clearly not in touch with the events that are going to occur. A giant spaceship from under the sphinx will rise to protect us with the chosen one. Dont worry bro.

Reminder that this is not the shenanigans, rein it back in to real discussion around the topic please.

Reminder that this is not the shenanigans, rein it back in to real discussion around the topic please.

You forgot the ominious glare.

Seriously though, I don't see the solar flares at the moment being a huge effect, this all happened last night didn't it? I think there were like two satelittes with damage or something

We're supposed to see potential fallout from this through Friday, so a bit premature to dismiss it at nothing, even though it likely will be.

Oh, I guess what I read last night was based on waves rather than the total event

ObSF: Larry Niven, "Inconstant Moon"

Oh no! My life is in danger? D: (if you get the joke)

And bleh, no one should be worried about this (if anyone is). People should be worried if this wouldn't be happening. I read it's like a normal cycle for sun to be active and inactive or something.

>foxnews
-turns around and leaves thread-

>foxnews
-turns around and leaves thread-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/08...32255.html
http://www.inquisitr.com/202185/solar-fl...for-earth/
http://nvonews.com/2012/03/08/sun-flare-...-borealis/
http://tv.ibtimes.com/solar-storm-2012-s.../3978.html
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunear...-X5-4.html

Thanks for the far more credible sources.

Power went out today, at least from what I could tell from my blinking clock. It went out and came back up around 6PM EST, my electronic babies were all safe.

Thanks for the far more credible sources.

Come on now, the NASA link is the only one that is more "credible", don't hold a grudge just because of their political lean, this has nothing to do with politics.