(ORDO NEWS) — On the evening of March 30, 2023 and in the next few days, a powerful solar storm will hit the Earth. It is connected with the fact that a giant hole has formed on the Sun, the size of which is 20 times the diameter of the planet Earth.
It emits a stream of ionized particles in our direction at a speed of 2.9 million kilometers per hour. All and sundry talk about the coming solar storm, which is also known to many as magnetic.
Therefore, we offer to find out in more detail what causes solar storms, how technology and people react to this phenomenon, and much more. It will be interesting!
What is a solar storm
Before talking about a solar storm, it is necessary to recall that the Earth has a magnetic field.
It is created by the earth’s mantle and core, and is necessary for our planet to protect us from the radiation of the Sun and deep space. Without a magnetic field, life on Earth would be impossible.
At the same time, emissions of energy particles periodically occur on the Sun.
Often this kind of activity is due to sunspots – dark areas on the surface of a star, the temperature in which is lowered by about 1500 Kelvin compared to the surrounding space.
It has been scientifically proven that sunspots are formed as a result of perturbations in individual sections of the Sun’s magnetic field.
When the Sun ejects energy particles, they scatter in different directions, including in the direction of the Earth.
When they collide with the Earth’s magnetic field, it begins to tremble – this phenomenon is called a solar storm (or magnetic).
How solar storms affect technology
For many centuries, solar storms remained invisible to people – at most, on such days they felt worse or watched the auroras.
So, in 1859, the English astronomer Richard Carrington was able to record the most powerful flare on the Sun in the entire history of observations, which caused a storm, as a result of which the auroras were visible throughout the entire Earth, even at the equator.
The aurora borealis is one of the unique natural phenomena, which is a multi-colored glow that occurs in the layers of the atmosphere as a result of the Earth’s magnetic field with particles of the solar wind (the same energy particles from the Sun).
When they invade its upper rarefied layer of the atmosphere and collide with the substances contained in it, light is refracted.
In the modern world, powerful solar storms are difficult to miss, because our planet is surrounded by satellites, and there are billions of electronic equipment on Earth.
In 1989, due to a powerful solar storm, transformers burned out in the Canadian province of Quebec. This led to a blackout in all houses and streets.
Because of the storm, some satellites changed their orbits and communication with them was lost.
The event was catastrophic and lasted 9 hours – people were very scared and this case is mentioned in almost every article about solar storms.
Solar storms have a bad effect on vehicles for several reasons.
For example, problems can arise from the expansion of the ionosphere, when a layer of the atmosphere with a high concentration of ions and electrons increases in size, causing an increase in atmospheric resistance.
Also, during a solar storm, static electricity accumulates, which can damage the electronic circuits of devices.
How solar storms affect people’s well-being
It is widely believed that magnetic storms are bad for people’s health. Bad mood, headaches, accidents and many other troubles are often blamed on this phenomenon.
For the most part, these complaints have no scientific evidence. However, scientists have evidence that solar storms can adversely affect at least the human cardiovascular system.
For example, in 2014, AHA Journals published a scientific article stating that during solar storms, the risk of stroke in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, France and Sweden increases by 19%.
In 2019, Environmental Health also announced that solar activity increases mortality from cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.
Evidence that solar storms can cause irritability and even more so lead to depression, scientists have not been able to find.
What to do during a solar storm
During periods of solar storms, people with high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart problems are advised to always carry the necessary medicines with them.
And in general, on such days it is better to try to relax less – just in case.
The best way to protect your equipment during a magnetic storm is to unplug it.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the US may be developing a contingency plan in the event of a particularly powerful storm like the one that occurred in 1989.
In the event of a breakdown of the transformers, it will be possible to use spare mobile transformers – they will not last long, but during the repair they may well support the operation of the power grid.
To protect especially important equipment, people can put them inside a Faraday cage, which dissipates excess energy.
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