Illustration by K. Endo, Nikkei Science, Inc., Japan
Solar wind, as depicted in this artist's illustration, travels from the Sun and envelops the Earth's magnetic field. High-energy pulses of solar wind from sunspot activity ("solar bursts" or "plasma bubbles") travel from the Sun to the Earth at speeds exceeding 500 miles per second. The pulses distort the Earth's magnetic field and produce geomagnetic storms that disrupt the Earth's environment.
..In January 1997, a geomagnetic storm severely damaged the U.S. Telstar 401 communication satellite, which was valued at $200 million, and left it inoperable. A geomagnetic storm in 1994 damaged two Canadian communication satellites, which were replaced at a cost of about $400 million. A geomagnetic storm in 1989 "blacked out" the power distribution system for Quebec, Canada, and left 6 million people without electricity for 9 hours at a cost of $300 million. Although these events and their specific impacts were not predicted, current technology promises to provide real-time warnings and measures to contend with solar-induced storms...