Solar 'superflare' shredded Earth's ozone

New Scientist ^ | 23 March 2007 | Kelly Young

[Freeport]

The largest solar flare in the last 500 years may have shredded Earth's ozone layer to a greater extent than human-made chemicals have in recent decades, new research suggests, but the effect was only temporary. If such a flare occurred today, it would likely be even more damaging to the ozone and could increase the rate of skin cancer around the world.

On 1 September 1859, the Sun expelled huge quantities of high-energy protons in a 'superflare'. The event was seen on Earth by an observer who noticed a white spot on the Sun suddenly brighten for about five minutes.

When the magnetic storm struck Earth, fires started in telegraph stations due to electrical arcing in the telegraph wires. The northern lights, or aurorae borealis, were reportedly seen as far south as Florida in the US.

This flare released 6.5 times more energy than the largest solar flare of the satellite era, which occurred in 1989. That flare was strong enough to cause a power blackout in Quebec, Canada.

Now, scientists have calculated the ozone depletion from the 1859 solar flare for the first time by studying chemical deposits in Greenland ice cores.

[Nathan Zachary]

That’s probably the simplest way of observing solar flare activity. If you live close to the Canadian border as I do, you can see them late August- Sept, and when there is a lot of solar flare activity, they become much more intense and colorful. At this location, they are dull normally. a silvery wave as the particles pass through. It shows how the sun’s output fluctuates quite rapidly. The last 2 years the lights have been stronger overall, indicating the sun’s output is a bit stronger.

[yankeedame]

For example, according to NASA solar observation satellite data, an X27 magnitude flare in November 2004?

Couldn't find any info about that one but here's a photo of the 10/03 flare (to then the largest recorded):

This spate of extreme Solar activity began towards the end of October 2003 with a series of massive Solar eruptions. The largest of these measured X 18 on the Solar flare scale ( see pic below) A cluster of other X flare explosions within a matter of days made this one of the greatest periods of Solar activity on record. However this was nothing compared to the November explosion which is the biggest and most violent event the Solar System has produced within recorded memory.

[JerseyJohn61]

Well, I’m 45 and have never seen an aurora here in Jersey.
You’re talking about a half century back. No small chunk of
years.(Human time that is. Geologically, 50 years is the
twinkling of an eye.)

How bright were the lights?...JJ61

[HamiltonJay]

Stuff like this is why no thinking person can look at the whole global warming is man created and destroy the world without laughing outloud.

Only an idiot thinks we will destroy life on this planet with anything our paltry abilities can do. Kill ourself off, possibly, but we can no more kill life on earth than we could stop it from rotating.

Our powers while impressive to us, and pathetic in the grand scheme of things, and only a completely misguided troglodite can remotely thing we are powerful enough to kill this planet.

[muawiyah]

There were entire decades in the last century when even the Sun could not be observed from most of New Jersey.

You have to have a clear sky first.

[The Great RJ]

Had the current alarmists speculated about such a solar burp, the MSM would be reporting that such an event would end all life on earth and Al Gore would be selling lead lined sun screens.

[Enchante]

AL GORE: “It’s OK folks, you still need to put all your money, hopes, and fears in my hands so that I can bravely take charge of this newly discovered peril of solar flares. Global warming, ozone, global cooling, solar flares, glacial melt, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis........ whatever your problems just give me all your money and I will work with my socialist pals to find the answer!”

[SengirV]

I can’t tell if you are serious or joking.

[Waverunner]

We must stop manbearpig.

[Redmen4ever]

Rather than sacrifice our cars to the gods of global warming, why don’t we go back to sacrificing virgins?

[PeaceBeWithYou]

It would be more productive to sacrifice the alarmist.

[JerseyJohn61]

AH! AH! Behave yourself now! lol....JJ61

P.S. You’ve never seen how that good Jersey sun makes
my garden grow. And no, it not done by nuke fallout.

[SunkenCiv]

Note: this is from March.

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[SunkenCiv]

Whoops, make that April.

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The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes: Flood, Fire, and Famine in the History of Civilization by Richard Firestone, Allen West, and Simon Warwick-Smith

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[Constantine XIII]

They’ve had telescopes since Galileo’s time. :p

If you want to see the Sun, just project the output from the eyepiece onto a piece of white paper.

[Tench_Coxe]

Inconstant Moon

[Constantine XIII]

I’m glad we have people here who are smarter than solar physicsts to set us straight.

Solar physicists who, you know, study the sun for a living...and who know about things like magnetohydrodynamics and stuff. :p

[Dr.Zoidberg]

The SUN has FAR more to do with the Earth’s Atmostphere than Man EVER will.

Admitting that profound truth would undo all of the social and economic controls that have been planned for us in the coming decade.

It may be obvious to all but the most blind, but as long as the left wing keeps screeching about "Man Made Global Warming!" they can keep pushing forward their agenda of total control to "Save the Planet".

Irrefutable facts to the contrary notwithstanding.

[scan59]

Inconstant Moon

Great story! It pops up in Science Fiction anthologies every now and then, and I always re-read it when I come across it.

[evets]

Dear God...

please save the ozone.