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A solar storm is a generic term for increased activity in the Sun. In this case, the solar storm of July 2012 consisted of a massive solar flare, followed by a colossal coronal mass ejection (CME). A solar flare is initiated by the sudden release of energy stored in the Sun’s corona, causing the Sun’s plasma to heat up to tens of millions of degrees, accelerating and kicking out all sorts of radiation, and often creating a solar prominence or filament (eruption)...
...Suffice it to say, but it’s bad news if the energy and plasma from a big solar flare or CME hits the Earth. Much like a man-made electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon, the solar energetic particles strike the Earth with such force that it ionizes the atmosphere, creating a vast cloud of energetic electrons that bounce around inside the atmosphere destroying electronics and fusing conductive wires everywhere. It would probably take out a few satellites in Earth orbit, too.
Prior to the July 2012 storm, the largest recorded storm was the Carrington Event of 1859. A massive solar flare and CME struck Earth, destroying much of the Victorian telegraph network in Europe and North America. Other solar storms have hit Earth since then, but fortunately we’ve only been hit by one large storm during modern times, which caused the 1989 Quebec blackout.
If the solar storm had hit Earth back in 2012, the total economic impact is estimated to be around $2 trillion, or 20 times the cost of Hurricane Katrina. It’s not just about money, though: As I covered in our feature story The Machine Stops, it would take time to fix up the world’s power grid. You can’t just magically replace dozens of giant transformers and substations. There are only so many diesel generators to fill the gap. If a giant solar storm hit the Earth, large parts of society could be without power for months or years. Pete Riley, a physicist who looked at extreme space weather events for the last 50 years, says there’s a 12% chance that a Carrington-level storm will hit Earth in the next 10 years.
originally posted by: Ghost147
On one of my news sources I had read an interesting article that lead me to a lot of contemplation. It mentions that back on July 23, 2012 a massive solar storm had just missed Earth, and it would have sent us back to the stone age for years. This was actually a VERY close hit. If the coronal mass ejection (CME) had shot out of the sun in a slightly different direction, all of our power would be gone, and we would STILL be cleaning up the mess today.
A solar storm is a generic term for increased activity in the Sun. In this case, the solar storm of July 2012 consisted of a massive solar flare, followed by a colossal coronal mass ejection (CME). A solar flare is initiated by the sudden release of energy stored in the Sun’s corona, causing the Sun’s plasma to heat up to tens of millions of degrees, accelerating and kicking out all sorts of radiation, and often creating a solar prominence or filament (eruption)...
...Suffice it to say, but it’s bad news if the energy and plasma from a big solar flare or CME hits the Earth. Much like a man-made electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon, the solar energetic particles strike the Earth with such force that it ionizes the atmosphere, creating a vast cloud of energetic electrons that bounce around inside the atmosphere destroying electronics and fusing conductive wires everywhere. It would probably take out a few satellites in Earth orbit, too.
Prior to the July 2012 storm, the largest recorded storm was the Carrington Event of 1859. A massive solar flare and CME struck Earth, destroying much of the Victorian telegraph network in Europe and North America. Other solar storms have hit Earth since then, but fortunately we’ve only been hit by one large storm during modern times, which caused the 1989 Quebec blackout.
source
Other than Global wars, Solar flares are my second, personal big fear when it comes to the most likely bad-situation. The article made me contemplate what I would do if my country was hit by that solar storm? To me, the best option would be to quickly run and grab any water and food I could, then head out into the bush. Fortunately, in my country (Canada), we have enough bush for everyone! It's just a matter of knowing how to survive in it.
If the solar storm had hit Earth back in 2012, the total economic impact is estimated to be around $2 trillion, or 20 times the cost of Hurricane Katrina. It’s not just about money, though: As I covered in our feature story The Machine Stops, it would take time to fix up the world’s power grid. You can’t just magically replace dozens of giant transformers and substations. There are only so many diesel generators to fill the gap. If a giant solar storm hit the Earth, large parts of society could be without power for months or years. Pete Riley, a physicist who looked at extreme space weather events for the last 50 years, says there’s a 12% chance that a Carrington-level storm will hit Earth in the next 10 years.
To me, 12% is very high. I'm not going to count on the event happening, but it is probable enough to consider it a major threat.
My question to all of you would be; If this were to occur on a global scale, and it occurred when you and anyone you are living with was home at the time (this includes family, roommates, apartment folk, what have you!), what would be your plan of action?
My question to all of you would be; If this were to occur on a global scale, and it occurred when you and anyone you are living with was home at the time (this includes family, roommates, apartment folk, what have you!), what would be your plan of action?
The strategy that Wernher Von Braun taught me was that first the Russians are going to be considered to be the enemy. In fact, in 1974, they were the enemy, the identified enemy. We were told that they had "killer satellites". We were told that they were coming to get us and control us-that they were "Commies."
Then terrorists would be identified, and that was soon to follow. We heard a lot about terrorism. Then we were going to identify third-world country "crazies." We now call them Nations of Concern. But he said that would be the third enemy against whom we would build space-based weapons. The next enemy was asteroids. Now, at this point he kind of chuckled the first time he said it.
Asteroids- against asteroids we are going to build space-based weapons. And the funniest one of all was what he called aliens, extraterrestrials. That would be the final scare. And over and over and over during the four years that I knew him and was giving speeches for him, he would bring up that last card. "And remember Carol, the last card is the alien card. We are going to have to build space-based weapons against aliens and all of it is a lie."
originally posted by: Ghost147
If a giant solar storm hit the Earth, large parts of society could be without power for months or years.
originally posted by: Cuervo
a reply to: Ghost147
Why do people refer to the "stone age" as a description of what life would be like without electricity? There's a big difference between the stone age and the 19th century technologies.
I think it would be a catalyst for change that we need but it sure wouldn't be a painless one. I doubt very much we would end up rebuilding society in the same fashion we have today. The world would look far different than today after everything was back online.
One of the pangs of bitterness I would have about that situation is the delay in all the awesome sciences and tech that we are on the cusp of rolling out today. When religion caused the dark ages, it put us back scientifically several centuries. It's crazy to think what life would be life if not for that.