(ORDO NEWS) — The most amazing thing is that this colossal storm occurred during one of the most calm phases of the Sun.
The sun can cause powerful storms. A new study of ancient ice samples recovered from the depths of Greenland and Antarctica has revealed that a powerful solar storm hit Earth about 9,200 years ago.
A previously unknown storm was so powerful that if it happened today, it would paralyze modern communications systems.
When there is strong activity on the surface of the Sun, more energy is released, which can lead to geomagnetic storms.
Scientists were amazed when they found out that the flare occurred during a period when the Sun should have been at its least active. During the solar minimum during the 11-year cycle, flares are much less common, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications.
During solar storms, the Sun ejects large amounts of energetic particles that can react with the Earth’s atmosphere and produce cosmogenic isotopes.
An international team of scientists has measured the amount of 10Be and 36Cl isotopes in ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica. The data obtained were consistent with the arrival of a giant solar storm that occurred in 7176 BC.
“This is an expensive and time-consuming analytical work. Therefore, we were pleasantly surprised to find such a peak, which indicates a hitherto unknown giant solar storm due to low solar activity,” explains co-author Raimund Muscheler.
This discovery has caused alarm among researchers, as it means that such destructive solar storms can come when we least expect them, and, of course, humanity is not ready for such a strong storm.
It is believed that such flares are more likely during the active phase of the Sun, but this study has cast doubt on this claim.
“These huge storms are not currently included enough to assess risk. It is critical to analyze what these developments could mean for modern technology and how we can protect ourselves,” Muscheler concludes.
According to the authors of the study, it is now important to examine older extreme storms in ice core and tree ring records to determine if there is any consistent relationship between the 11-year solar cycle and extreme storms.
“If a similar solar storm were to occur today, it could have devastating consequences,” experts said.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.