Solar storms can be even worse if you live near certain rocks

New USGS data show how cities have higher or lower risks of blackouts during a powerful sun storm depending on their regional geology.

...The team found that risk varies considerably from region to region, with some electrically resistive rocks boosting the regional geoelectric hazard by a factor of a hundred. The huge quantities of igneous and metamorphic rocks in the Appalachian Mountains mean that the power grids sitting atop them will suffer greatly the next time the sun gets its rage on.

relay.nationalgeographic.com...

Now this is a curious article, and a premise I can't recall ever having read. But it makes sense, if you understand the basics of electricity and conductivity. And considering I live smack dab in the middle of the Appalachians- which the article points out are particularly bad because of the rock types- then yeah, this could affect our part of the country greatly.

And it's just a matter of time before the next one. So I suppose you might get to finding out what kind of rock types you live on, to get an idea. I would expect soon there will be some kind of worldwide geoelectric (note the new word) map soon to assess these risks at a glance. Geologists might be particularly helpful right about now to add information to this topic!

Original study here:
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com...

It includes a map of the northeastern USA.

a reply to: [post=24273416]TrueAmerican

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Interesting topic! I'm not experienced in this field, but I would like to know what others think, those with more experience.....I'm going to be following along....

That's a new to me. I'm going to look more into that. Thanks for sharing. Starred.