All you need to know about Geomagnetic Storms
Hyderabad: On September 1, 1859, solar astronomer Richard Carrington witnessed sunspots that suddenly and briefly flashed brightly before they disappeared. Just before dawn the next day, auroras erupted over most of the Earth. The event produced not only a visible light show in areas where they do not typically appear, but it also sent telegraph […]
Hyderabad: On September 1, 1859, solar astronomer Richard Carrington witnessed sunspots that suddenly and briefly flashed brightly before they disappeared. Just before dawn the next day, auroras erupted over most of the Earth. The event produced not only a visible light show in areas where they do not typically appear, but it also sent telegraph systems around the world haywire.
We might think of space as a silent, empty void and the sun as only a distant source of light and heat. This is not necessarily true. The Sun is a magnetic star. As these magnetic fields emerge through the Sun’s visible surface (the photosphere), they form sunspots and other active regions and create complex and dynamic plasma structures in the Sun’s upper atmosphere (corona).
For the most part, the Earth’s magnetic field protects humans from the barrage of radiation that comes from the sun. However, the Earth’s magnetic field is weaker at both poles and therefore some particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere through geomagnetic storms. When the Earth’s Magnetosphere is hit by Solar flares, it causes Geomagnetic Storms.
Geomagnetic storms and increased solar ultraviolet emission heat Earth’s upper atmosphere, causing it to expand. The heated air rises, and the density at the orbit of satellites up to about 1,000 km increases significantly. This results in increased drag, causing satellites to slow and change orbit slightly.
Recent studies indicated that geomagnetic storms can impact migratory animals’ ability to navigate, especially when other assisting cues aren’t present. New research says it’s their ability to sense Earth’s magnetic field that acts as a compass directing them in the long journey. Birds likely use magnetically sensitive proteins called cryptochromes located in their retinas that enable sensing and signalling functions, helping them in navigating these long distances.
The adverse economic impacts of solar activity on the North American power grid have been well-documented. For instance, four per cent of the power disturbances between 1992 and 2010 reported to the US Department of Energy are attributable to strong geomagnetic activity.
Solar storms can hit operations of space-dependent services like global positioning systems (GPS), radio, and satellite communications. Geomagnetic storms interfere with high-frequency radio communications and GPS navigation systems.
Astronauts doing spacewalks or sitting in the space stations or on the Moon will receive the maximum amount of radiation from Geomagnetic Storms, which will instantly kill them.
Space weather phenomena (geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms, solar flare radio blackouts, solar radio bursts, and cosmic radiation) can impact aviation operations. Effects include degradation or loss of HF radio transmission and satellite navigation signals, navigation system disruptions, and avionics errors.
During strong geomagnetic storms and during a thunderstorm at a distance of 10 km around the pipeline, geomagnetic induced currents appear in it, reaching tens or even hundreds of amperes. As a result, the potential of the soil-pipeline increases and the corrosion of the pipeline is possibly increased.
Geomagnetic storms can cause earth surface potentials (ESPs) in the ground. ESP produces geomagnetically induced current (GIC) in a loop which is made up by rails and ground. If GIC flows into an intercity railway track circuit, it threatens the normal operation of the track circuit.
The electrically charged particles called the solar wind travels out from the sun at between 300 and 500 km per second in all directions. A small percentage of particles leak through the Earth’s magnetic field. When these charged particles hit the atoms and molecules high up in our atmosphere, they become excited. This creates two glowing rings of auroral emission around the North and South magnetic poles, known as auroral ovals.
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