solar flares and the electric grid

[auroraglacialis]

Solar Storms Could Debilitate Earth this Decade: NOAA - International Business Times

Seems like NASA and NOAA have predicted increased solar activity for the next decade. Some of these have the potential to knock out the electric grid and wipe satellites from the sky.

I am thinking - there certainly would be wonderful Auroras even in Europe and the US

EDIT: The article moved to http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/1941...gton-event.htm

[Advent]

Knocking out the electrical grid, and the satellites... that would kinda disable the internet, wouldn't it?

[Human No More]

Technically no - satellites are more for phones (and internet in very remote areas) due to the latency. Powergrid yes, but blackouts due to solar activity are well known and regularly compensated. This will just prompt improved protection and system resilience if anything.

[Isard]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Technically no - satellites are more for phones (and internet in very remote areas) due to the latency. Powergrid yes, but blackouts due to solar activity are well known and regularly compensated. This will just prompt improved protection and system resilience if anything.

The worst I'd expect is a month.



Also, you staying safe bro? The UK is apparently in the midst of a looter revolution.

[auroraglacialis]

This type of storm could also induce geomagnetic currents that could debilitate transformers on the power grid. Electric power would be out for years or even decades.

I can imagine the sky would have colorful lights all the way down to Italy and the american midwest. What colour would they be, I ask myself - green like the boreal ones? Or maybe some blue or red in it?

[Moco Loco]

So, the power could be out for "decades" >.>
But that certainly doesn't mean the storm would last more than a moment, if something like this happens at all. It sounds a little sensational to me. Solar flares are like earthquakes, almost impossible to predict, even if you know they might happen. I'm not worried, or not worried any more than I have been.

[auroraglacialis]

Ah!

[in1859]the Northern Lights, solar-induced phenomena more closely associated with regions near Earth's North Pole, were documented as far south as Rome, Havana and Hawaii

pretty cool

(Solar Superstorm - NASA Science)


Moco Loco, the reason for the long blackout would be that the grid cannot take the surge, so parts of it would be destroyed, specifically the transformers. These parts are not easily replaced. The US has no producing capacity at all and relies on imports for them, but in any case, the world production of these is not exactly huge, as they usually last quite long, so they are mainly needed during the expansion of the power grid and more rarely during the operation. And I bet those countries that do produce them would kind of have a different priority than exporting them in case of such an event...
I guess those who want electricity will have to build more industry or stockpile. Or get some kind of safeguard in place. none of that is in place now and probably it would take a couple of years or a decade or two to make it so. That is if anyone has the money or will to invest into such a thing that does not bring profit in the short run

[Human No More]

Originally Posted by Moco Loco

So, the power could be out for "decades" >.>
But that certainly doesn't mean the storm would last more than a moment, if something like this happens at all. It sounds a little sensational to me. Solar flares are like earthquakes, almost impossible to predict, even if you know they might happen. I'm not worried, or not worried any more than I have been.

Exactly. It's scaremongering.

It's like saying "the Yellowstone supervolcano could go off "any moment" in the next 100,00 years" - it's technically true, but not at all likely in any realistic timeframe.

[auroraglacialis]

Severe Solar Storms Could Disrupt Earth This Decade: NOAA - International Business Times

With solar activity expected to peak around 2013, the Sun is entering a particularly active time and big flares like the recent one will likely be common during the next few years.
[...]
The NOAA predicted four “extreme” solar emissions which could threaten the planet this decade.

I think the northern lights in our latitudes will be more reddish. The ones up north are more green. I wonder if there are golden organe ones or purple ones. I'd like to see purple ones, that would be awesome...

[Isard]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Exactly. It's scaremongering.

It's like saying "the Yellowstone supervolcano could go off "any moment" in the next 100,00 years" - it's technically true, but not at all likely in any realistic timeframe.

I just love how Aura is ignoring all of this and just quoting the article while going on and on about colors. The smug, it burns.

[auroraglacialis]

Ah the article says it better than I would do. And I really love the colors. I deliberately want to avoid a debate this time

Oh - cool - a small solar flare has just happened yesterday. Probably not big enough to get some colors going here...
(Solar flares: What does it take to be X-class? Sun emits an X-Class flare on August 9, 2011)

[MOMS Ball Avatar]

Isard,

I know this doesn't fit in this thread but... I LOVE "Wait, you do hear the voices, right?" That made my whole day!

Irayo

[apache_blanca]

If people are willing to listen & watch - to keep one's glass empty so to speak - they might have a chance to learn something they didn't know.

Only time will show whether solar flares will indeed have these effects.

Me, I would like to see auroras... Purple & green ones for me please: they will remind me of Pandora

[applejuice]

I don't believe there's going to be a fatal collapse of electric grids should a major solar flare hit the Earth. They are very well protected against transitory events like those.

[Advent]

Well if electricity does happen to go out for decades, I'm guessing that may screw things up internationally. Quite badly. And, the internet would go out, if I'm not mistaken.
Hmmm.. I'm beginning to find it hard to be absolutely thrilled about this.