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Solar Storm 'Could Spark Catastrophe'
Ananova ^
| 10-27-2003
Posted on 10/27/2003 2:49:22 PM PST by blam
Solar storm 'could spark catastrophe'
Scientists are warning a "perfect space storm" that occurred 144 years ago could happen again at any time with catastrophic consequences.
Newly uncovered scientific data has shown the true extent of history's most massive electromagnetic storm which blew up on the first two days of September 1859.
Like "the perfect storm" at sea which inspired a blockbuster movie, it was the result of a number of titanic events coming together.
But in this case the centre of the storm was the sun, not the ocean.
A combination of sunspots and solar flares produced an explosive release of magnetically charged gas and particles which sped towards the Earth.
When the storm struck, the effects had a huge impact even on the limited technological landscape of the 19th century.
Within hours, telegraph wires in both the United States and Europe spontaneously shorted out, causing numerous fires.
People were amazed as the Northern Lights - caused by charged solar particles bombarding the atmosphere near the northern magnetic pole - illuminated the sky as far south as Rome, Havana and Hawaii.
Dr Bruce Tsurutani, a plasma physicist at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who has investigated the event, said: "What happened in 1859 was a combination of several events that occurred on the sun at the same time.
"If they took place separately they would be somewhat notable events. But together they create the most potent disruption of Earth's ionosphere in recorded history. What they generated was the perfect space storm."
Story filed: 13:51 Sunday 26th October 2003
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: catastrophe; electromagnetic; godsgravesglyphs; solar; solarflare; spark; storm
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It's always something.
1
posted on
10/27/2003 2:49:23 PM PST
by
blam
To: blam
Sounds series.
2
posted on
10/27/2003 2:51:24 PM PST
by
Arkie2
To: blam
Women and minorities most affected.
I always wanted to say that!)
3
posted on
10/27/2003 2:54:51 PM PST
by
Eaker
(Amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic.............hmmmmmmmmm ;<)
To: RightWhale
4
posted on
10/27/2003 2:55:08 PM PST
by
blam
To: blam
This is hugh!
5
posted on
10/27/2003 2:55:22 PM PST
by
zlala
(My opinion.)
To: Eaker
You left out the chilruns!
6
posted on
10/27/2003 2:56:23 PM PST
by
Delbert
To: Eaker
LOl...always a classic line.
7
posted on
10/27/2003 2:56:27 PM PST
by
Gringo1
(If god has made your life so great, why are you living in a trailer?)
To: Delbert
I was typing bewwy-bewwy fast!!!
8
posted on
10/27/2003 2:57:36 PM PST
by
Eaker
(Amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic.............hmmmmmmmmm ;<)
To: blam
As I recall, pieces of the sun wound up in trees in Indiana.
9
posted on
10/27/2003 2:59:41 PM PST
by
fat city
(Julius Rosenberg's soviet code name was "Liberal")
To: Eaker
It was a bright and solar stormy day..........
10
posted on
10/27/2003 2:59:46 PM PST
by
tet68
(multiculturalism is an ideological academic fantasy maintained in obvious bad faith. M. Thompson)
To: Gringo1
Re: your tag line.
I keep praying that God will go ahead and let the Indians have my IT job so I can move into a trailer.
11
posted on
10/27/2003 2:59:47 PM PST
by
mommybain
(not Walmart greeter material)
To: mommybain
IT is the technological equivalent of being a relief picher in baseball, it is a notoriously high-risk occupation.
Get into computer controlled medical equipment troubleshooting/repair, you will always have work.
12
posted on
10/27/2003 3:14:43 PM PST
by
Gringo1
(If god has made your life so great, why are you living in a trailer?)
To: tet68
Hey Ron popeil here with you sunscreen spf gazzilion pocketsparyer
13
posted on
10/27/2003 3:16:39 PM PST
by
al baby
(Ice cream does not have bones)
To: Delbert
What about the homeless and transgendered?
14
posted on
10/27/2003 3:18:46 PM PST
by
hutton
To: blam
Surely this my fault. Conservative, white, Christan, upper middle class, males who have't reached 50 yet are always to blame. Oh, almost forgot, I'm a gun owner too.
Sorry?
To: blam
Solar Warming! It's all Solar Warming! Damned imperialist capitalist pigs!
Qwinn
16
posted on
10/27/2003 3:22:09 PM PST
by
Qwinn
To: fat city
What's the problem? Just rotate the Sun to point in another direction. Do I have to fix everything?
To: hutton
Re:
What about the homeless and transgendered? hardest hit, of course.
18
posted on
10/27/2003 3:23:43 PM PST
by
ChadGore
(Kakkate Koi!)
To: blam
Must be because of global warming that is at fault. And its ALL caused by the "evil" American love affair with the SUVs.
19
posted on
10/27/2003 3:25:24 PM PST
by
Simmy2.5
To: blam
You guys are making fun of this story, but we should be concerned. This could be the most devastating thing to happen since the Y2K bug hit.
20
posted on
10/27/2003 3:25:31 PM PST
by
birdsman
(Bill Clinton is still on the loose. Do you know where your daughters are?)
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