Solar flare question

Just a few random thoughts regarding a solar flare SHTF.I know most preppers are thinking economic collapse,gov't takeover,WW3,all that,but IMHO,a solar flare is the most likely event,or a rogue asteroid.Anyway,I've read about the carrington event of 1859,how it burnt wires and such.How long would an event like that last? Would it only effect the sun facing side? Granted,it would take out most satellites,but if it hit the US,would russia or china have any effect? The 1989 event in Canada only affected that local region,the NE US. My question is,is it a momentary,as in a few hours,or could it last a day,and wipe out power worldwide?

Good question. Not sure of the answer but I can say this.

If only a certain portion is hit/effected. You better hope it is Asia and Russia that gets whacked.

If it is the USA/Can/Mexico that were to get hit, the first jets you see fly over will be the country of
our new leader.....

a reply to: anon72
if china was hit,we'd still be a mess,as everything comes from there!

a reply to: blkcwbyhat

Anyway,I've read about the carrington event of 1859

I think that the 1859 Carrington event was attributed by a likely EMP-sort of event triggered by a Massive solar flare.

If something worldwide like that would happen it would have to be a HUGE X-class solar flare lasting a while. Then nearly every system used today (since so much is interconnected) outside of a Faraday cage could be crippled for a good amount of time, but I would think nukes and nuclear plants would also be affected.

That's my take anyway.

a reply to: Chamberf=6
The Carrinton was definately a solar flare,but I can't find any info on if it affected any other areas,such as russia.I'm not even sure they had a telegraph then.Nukes may be safe,as they are in a hardened bunker,as in ICBM's,but bombs in a hangar might have issues.I'm sure the aircraft have some emp protection,at least minimal.Which brings up another issue,when we nuked Japan,it didn't affect the Enola Gay.I doubt they even considered EMP back then.

a reply to: blkcwbyhat

I'm not even sure they had a telegraph then.

They did and it affected Europe and N. America.

Didn't think of the Enola Gay...surely it had electrical system on it..?

ETA: I just read two conflicting reasons why the Enola Gay wasn't affected.

1. It was too low to be affected since bomb was detonated in the air--which honestly makes no sense to me. It's not like the bomb was somehow magically dropped above the plane that dropped it.

2. Enola Gay was instructed to temporarily turn off the radio and other systems for a short bit.
To me that sounds a lot more believable.

a reply to: blkcwbyhat

It is not a solar flare which causes the geomagnetic storms (like the Carrington Event) which can disrupt power grids. It is Coronal Masss Ejections (CME).

The most severe effects of a CME can last for a day or two but it is actually the night side of Earth which is most affected by geomagnetic storms (due to magnetic reconnection in the "tail" of the magnetosphere). Along with other variables, the higher the latitude, the stronger the effects. While the effects of a major geomagnetic event could be devastating on a national level, it is unlikely that power over the entire planet would be shut down.

a reply to: Phage

Thanks Phage.

You have said that about solar flares vs CMEs before, yet my brain seems to block it.

a reply to: Chamberf=6

! makes zero sense to me also...I thought that a hi altitude burst would be the most effective,as to cover more area.2 makes some sense,but I'd think the wires would act as an antenna,even if it was turned off,the "static" would toast the circuits.

a reply to: Phage
Thx phage,knew we could count on you! I assumed the 2 went together,and the dark side explanation makes sense.So,if the event happens,the dark side gets toasted,and the light side gets minimal effect,depending on how long/large the event is?

enola gay didn't have solid state radio components. It was all tubes, which are far less sensitive to EMP when off.

Thanks to phage for succinctly stating what I was trying to formulate a post for, regarding the difference between a solar flare and a CME.

However, I think a big enough EMP would temporarily disrupt the geomagnetosphere for the entire globe. The 1989 western Canada CME poked a regional hole in the sphere. (It still took several years to replace all the transformers in rural areas.)

A CME would have to be "aimed" at the earth. And because they travel considerably slower than the speed of light, we would have at least 12 hours, and more like a day's warning. There are myriad solar observatories, across regions and continents; so it's not like the media could keep it a secret if one is detected and threatening earth. (Even if it were only "possible," it would be a blaring headline on drudge...)

a reply to: tovenar
I consider Drudge a "less than reliable" news source.Granted,if a UFO landed,then I'd consider that opinion,but I consider Drudge and Beck,BIN,and such,well,BS.
I was asking for scientific info,not rumors.That said,during a solar flare/CME,where is the safest place,the light or dark side,and how long? [please no star wars quotes]

I'd worry more about a weaponized and deliberate EMP attack than a CME created SHTF scenario.

a reply to: Phage
So,if I was in nebraska at hi noon,assuming its the center of the US,when it hit,I'd be safer than say,moscow or bejing.But if its say an M5,with a CME...is that safer than an X1 without a CME? How are CME's measured? Under a situation like that,would there be a lasting effect that the US would feel? I guess I'm asking,how long would the CME last,to have an effect?

a reply to: Gazrok
there are only a few countries with the capability to even attempt such a shot.Granted,they could try,but the US has nuke subs all over the place,and 1 sub has more than enough missiles to make someone have a really bad day.Thats the good thing about mutually assured destruction!

a reply to: blkcwbyhat

You would personally be safe no matter where you are. Power grids are at risk because of the fluctuations in Earth's magnetic field (geomagnetic storms). The night side is most subject to geomagnetic storms.

Nothing on the Earth's surface is at risk from a solar flare but they can cause problems for satellites and radio communications.

There is no strength scale for CMEs (other than, "that's a big 'un.") It's not the duration of the CME which is of most concern. The factors that most influence geomagnetic storming are; the density of the CME, the speed of the CME, and the magnetic orientation of the CME. All of these are variable. A bad case would be a dense (>40 N/cm3), fast (>700 km/s) CME with a strong southern Bz component.

You can monitor the solar wind (and any CMEs coming in our direction) here:
www.swpc.noaa.gov...

a reply to: Phage

I understand that I'm safe,I'm concerned about electrical stuff

Good question OP and informative answers from others……..

I'm assuming then that a CME 'glancing ' the earth might give a Tatical advantage to nations not affected then….?

Regards

PDUK

a reply to: PurpleDog UK
my question was not directed to a tactical edge.Granted,it could be used that way.My question was more in the regard to my walkie talkies,solar panels,so on.