One of the strongest solar storms in recent history began buffeting the earth on Thursday, raising the possibility of global disruptions to satellite and electronics systems.
Effects — including bright Northern Lights in the northern hemisphere — might be noticed for several days.
“We now have warnings of a storm that is supposed to come this evening,” Paolo Ferri, of the European Space Operations Centre of the European Space Agency (ESA), told DPA.
Thursday’s storm comes after a minor storm hit earth on Wednesday night and after a larger storm in January passed to the earth’s right.
Not only was Thursday’s storm likely to hit the earth full on, but it was also supposed to be one of the most powerful felt in recent years and five times stronger than the one registered on Wednesday night.
So far, no disruptions have been noticed in satellite functions around the world, since many sensitive devices had been powered down on Wednesday in anticipation of the storm. There were reports that it had become difficult to control the Venus Express, an ESA Venus probe.
Possible disruptions could include problems with flights, electricity networks and earth-orbiting satellites.
“There are two problems with satellites,” says Ferri. Some, like the space telescope Integral, have sensitive instruments on board that work with high voltage. “Those react immediately and dramatically,” which is why they are turned off before the storm.
He said it helps that forecasts of solar storms have improved; giving scientists more time to prepare themselves and their equipment.
But there’s another key problem, said Ferri. Some satellites are guided by special star sensors.
“Those sensors are practically blinded when these storm-loaded particles come. That’s what’s happening with Venus Express,” he said.
He noted that, because the Express is nearing Venus, it’s even closer to the sun and experiencing even more intensity. To compensate, radio signals could be used to steer the satellite, but that is a less precise and labour-intensive alternative.
The sun is in the middle of an 11-year waxing and waning cycle. Scientists expect this one to peak in mid-2013. The current storm is expected to be the second-strongest of the current cycle so far.
Keywords: Solar storm
@sunny with a name like sunny you should be promoting solar power
which is the hottest form of power generation today in the world.
Please give up your outdated ideas of energy density which is far
outweighed by the fact that dangerous nuclear power is 40% less
efficient than other modes of power generation, it guzzles up valuable
water resources, pollutes the ocean, and leaves dangerous wastes as a
burden for future generations. As a matter of fact nuclear power uses
more electricity than it gives back from uranium mining needs, to
transport to processing,to constructing of clunky huge buildings, to
installing safety mechanisms and the costs are infinite and that's why
four major developed nations U.S. France, U.K. and Japan have failed
economies by using this 40% more thermally polluting oudated nuclear
power energy. Modern innovations use CSPs (concentrated Solar panels)
to split hydrogen, and provide desalinated water plus electricty.
And after initial set up costs, fuels are FREE!
Nuclear power cant be and shouldn't be stopped. Energy density(amount
of energy that can be obtained per unit mass of fuel) is the highest
in nuclear fuels. On the other hand solar power has the least and is
costly in terms of power generation and also is season/sunlight
dependent. Our nuclear installations have reasonable safety features
built into them. However threats of these kinds must be acknowledged
by the govt and relevant agencies and counter measure taken with high
priority. Running away from a problem had been a trait of typical
Indian mentality. It is high time that we stop getting scared and
start being logical and scientific. Else kudankulm type opposition
will hinder in achieving our energy needs an self sufficiency targets.
We need to be more positive. India's nuclear reactors have been in existance for a longer time than 13 years, and these kind of solar storms happen once every 13 years. Nuclear energy is the most efficient of all the different ways of harnessing power. There is a big movement underway to destabilize india's growth by trying to curtail the power generation that is vital to the development of industries. Unless the indian politicians understand and stay focused on bringing many many nuclear plants alive and running, India can never be a worlds super economy, and will forever depend on other countries for Oil and natural gas.
This solar storm shut down three of America's nuclear power plants.
India should keep a pumping system ready around it's 20 nuclear plants
as the decay heat sink when reactors shut off require large quantites
of water for cooling and must be pumped in endlessly for many years or
till the unit is able to start off again. the water HAS TO BE FRESH
DRINKING NON SALINE WATER or the reactors will be totally damaged and
unusable if salt water is used. Salt water and heat from the reactor
corrodes the metal containment quickly. Hopefully those regions have
plenty of fresh water in the event a solar storm affects any one of
them.
The major solar storms are due in mid 2013!
Looks like we have to choose between water and dangerous nuclear power
which if shut down will be a huge cost keeping cool or dismantling a
Welcome to India of the Dark Ages with outdated, old fashioned 1940s
clunky cumbersome nuclear energy while the whole world forges ahead
with nano-electricity and highly efficient solar!
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