Solar Storm May Ground Aircraft, Overload Power Grids

Fox News ^ | December 14, 2006 | Paul Wagenseil

[bd476]

The severe geomagnetic storm bombarding the Earth on Thursday was expected to disrupt radio, television and cell-phone communications worldwide and could force airlines to reroute passenger flights that normally fly over the North Pole.

Power-grid operators will have to make sure their systems do not overload from induced current, and satellites in close Earth orbits will need to have their positions constantly monitored as the atmosphere expands from the additional heat and frictional drag increases.

"It's really hitting the Earth's magnetic field pretty hard," Joseph Kunches, lead forecaster at the NOAA Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo., told FOXNews.com.

"It's already affected HF [high-frequency] radio on the other side of the globe, as well as the astronauts aboard the ISS [international space station]."

As Kunches spoke, the Space Environment Center's atmospheric magnetic sensors oscillated wildly, meaning that the charge of the particles hitting the planet swung drastically between positive and negative.

A large sunspot, dubbed number 930, ejected a major X-3 category solar flare late Tuesday, blanketing two astronauts at the end of a spacewalk with X-rays within minutes.

[ Snip ]

Humans inside airplanes flying high over the magnetic poles are thus exposed to elevated levels of cosmic radiation even under normal space-weather conditions. During a severe geomagnetic storm, it might not be worth getting off the ground.

"There's still no one answer for what a 'safe' amount of radiation would be," Kunches said.

[ Snip ]

Regional electrical networks are at risk as well.

"Induced current will enter power grids," said Kunches, "and operators will have to make sure their systems don't overload."

[bd476]

Space Weather Advisory Bulletin #06- 5 (Widespread voltage probs, higher radiation thru 12-15) ^

[samm1148]

I like these types of stories about real science: It also doesn't give the global warming/bird flu/end of world tin foil hat wearers time to crow about anything.

[bd476]

Central Valley Business Times

Duck! Solar storm heads toward Earth

BOULDER, COLO.
December 14, 2006 11:16am




(NOAA photo)
Our friend Mr. Sun is having a tad of
solar acid reflux.

• Could impact communications

• ‘A rare occurrence’

A significant geomagnetic storm is expected to impact the Earth beginning Thursday, according to forecasters at the NOAA Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo.

Impacts from the event can cause problems with high frequency communications, satellite operations and induce currents in power grids.

Scientists say instruments have detected “a powerful and fast-moving coronal mass ejection directed toward Earth with this activity.”

“It is a rare occurrence to have a strong event like this so late in the solar cycle,” says NOAA Space Weather Forecaster Larry Combs.

“With the space shuttle in orbit and astronauts working on continued construction of the International space station, NASA is watching the activity with great interest,” he says.

“NASA officials said they did take precautions to avoid the effects of the radiation storm from the solar flare by having the astronauts aboard the International Space Station and shuttle Discovery sleep in protected areas of their respective spacecraft overnight.”

Duck! Solar storm heads toward Earth

[bd476]

samm1148 wrote: "I like these types of stories about real science: It also doesn't give the global warming/bird flu/end of world tin foil hat wearers time to crow about anything."

Thanks Samm1148. I like them too. :-)

The subject matter is also important because this particular solar flare can impact U.S. commerce via impacted electrical grids, radio communications, orbiting satellites, etc.

Two of the Discovery astronauts working outside the International Space Station were hit with a substantial dose of X radiation before they could take shelter in the Space Station.

[sionnsar]

Good thing your flight home isn't so far north...

[kalee]

ping

[samm1148]

One of the risks of space exploration. I read that any proposed Mars spacecraft (manned) would have to have a shelter for these types of situations.

[Pamlico]

I am confused. Is this the fault of Bush or has Rove gone wild with his weather controller?

[The Brush]

Is this the fault of Bush or has Rove gone wild with his weather controller?

The sun gods are angry my friend, they apparently missed the galaxy pick 4 lotto by one number. ONE NUMBER!!!

[upchuck]

I was trying to listen to Rush this afternoon in the van. The radio was full of static and buzzing sounds. Very unusual. I wondered why. Maybe this is why?

[steveo]

doubtful...

[Bender2]

Good! Then ve all... can stay home and have a nice roll in zee hay!

[demsux]

I am confused. Is this the fault of Bush or has Rove gone wild with his weather controller?

I'm just glad Rove decided to point that machine somewhere other than the mid-west...he pointed it at us a week or so ago and triggered one hell of an ice/snow storm.

[aomagrat]

Foolish Humans! Soon our coronal mass ejection ray will destroy you and the Earth will be ours!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hardastarboard]

I'm waiting for the enviro-Nazis to try to link this to some sort of "polluting" human activity. Bet on it.

[Pylon]

Doomed, Were.

[Poundstone]

Since it's now Thursday night (EST): have there actually been any problems reported due to this solar flare?

I haven't read of any -- just the warnings.

[bd476]

Current NOAA Scales Activity
Range 1 (minor) to 5 (extreme)
NOAA Scale	Past 24 hours	Current
Geomagnetic Storms
Solar Radiation Storms
Radio Blackouts

NOAA Space Weather Scales

The NOAA Space Weather Scales were introduced as a way to communicate to the general public the current and future space weather conditions and their possible effects on people and systems. Many of the SEC products describe the space environment, but few have described the effects that can be experienced as the result of environmental disturbances. These scales will be useful to users of our products and those who are interested in space weather effects. The scales describe the environmental disturbances for three event types: geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms, and radio blackouts. The scales have numbered levels, analogous to hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes that convey severity. They list possible effects at each level. They also show how often such events happen, and give a measure of the intensity of the physical causes.

The NOAA Space Weather Scales tables are shown below.

Geomagnetic Storms: disturbances in the geomagnetic field caused by gusts in the solar wind that blows by Earth.	G1	G2	G3	G4	G5
Solar Radiation Storms: elevated levels of radiation that occur when the numbers of energetic particles increase.	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5
Radio Blackouts: disturbances of the ionosphere caused by X-ray emissions from the Sun.	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5

[bd476]

Pylon wrote: "Doomed, Were."

Not really doomed but this Solar storm isn't something one would want to have happen everyday.

:Product: Geophysical Alert Message wwv.txt
:Issued: 2006 Dec 15 0017 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center

# # Geophysical Alert Message #

Solar-terrestrial indices for 14 December follow.
Solar flux 93 and mid-latitude A-index 42.
The mid-latitude K-index at 0000 UTC on 15 December was 7 (247 nT).

Space weather for the past 24 hours has been strong.
Geomagnetic storms reaching the G3 level occurred.
Solar radiation storms reaching the S2 level occurred.
Radio blackouts reaching the R3 level occurred.

Space weather for the next 24 hours is expected to be severe.
Geomagnetic storms reaching the G4 level are expected.
Solar radiation storms reaching the S2 level are expected.
Radio blackouts reaching the R3 level are expected.

The NOAA Space Weather Scales tables are shown below.

Geomagnetic Storms: disturbances in the geomagnetic field caused by gusts in the solar wind that blows by Earth.	G1	G2	G3	G4	G5
Solar Radiation Storms: elevated levels of radiation that occur when the numbers of energetic particles increase.	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5
Radio Blackouts: disturbances of the ionosphere caused by X-ray emissions from the Sun.	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5

[CaptRon]

Well, I know 3 of my satellite stations went out today, and right in the middle of a Martha Stewart biography!