Report: Powerful Solar Storm Could Shut Down U.S. for Months

Fox News ^ | January 08, 2009 | Robert Roy Britt

[2ndDivisionVet]

A new study from the National Academy of Sciences outlines grim possibilities on Earth for a worst-case scenario solar storm.

Damage to power grids and other communications systems could be catastrophic, the scientists conclude, with effects leading to a potential loss of governmental control of the situation.

The prediction is based in part on major solar storm in 1859 caused telegraph wires to short out in the United States and Europe, igniting widespread fires.

It was perhaps the worst in the past 200 years, according to the new study, and with the advent of modern power grids and satellites, much more is at risk.

"A contemporary repetition of the [1859] event would cause significantly more extensive (and possibly catastrophic) social and economic disruptions," the researchers conclude.

When the sun is in the active phase of its 11-year cycle, it can unleash powerful magnetic storms that disable satellites, threaten astronaut safety, and even disrupt communication systems on Earth.

The worst storms can knock out power grids by inducing currents that melt transformers.

Modern power grids are so interconnected that a big space storm — the type expected to occur about once a century — could cause a cascade of failures that would sweep across the United States, cutting power to 130 million people or more in this country alone, the new report concludes.

Such widespread power outages, though expected to be a rare possibility, would affect other vital systems.

[Mr_Moonlight]

"the scientists conclude, with effects leading to a potential loss of governmental control of the situation."

What kind of "scientists" would make such a statement??

Yep, you just BUSTED 'em on that ... perhaps yours is a Buckhead moment? Good work, Bill !

[RobinOfKingston]

Well ... the good news is that life in the DR of Congo will go on pretty much as usual.

[John123]

could cause a cascade of failures that would sweep across the United States

OK. How much is this going to cost me?

[JRandomFreeper]

Electricity is pretty easy to generate. I don't ever expect to be without for any length of time, as long as there are conductors and magnetic fields.

/johnny

[doug from upland]

2012? The Mayan calendar?

[ETL]

lol! Good one.

[dandiegirl]

This will definitely be Zero’s fault. The blame for life now shifts to him- I love it!!

[Mr_Moonlight]

It always bugged me when on Star Trek they would be having space battles, and the control panels on the bridge would just spontaneously combust. Seems like they would design against that kind of thing.

No way ... Scotty was able to fix 'em just as fast as they were blowing up, that is, as long as the Dilithium Crystals held up .......

[AFreeBird]

I would like to think that our power line and communication infrastructure is a little more robust than telegraph wires from 1859.

It's not like solar influence is going to be a surprise, seeing as how they had problems with it starting 150 years ago.

[LomanBill]

See Spot
See Spot Run
See Spot Hide

Where’s Spot?

Brrrrrrrr.

[hinckley buzzard]

My guess is December 2012.

[fanfan]

Do people even know the Earth is in the Holocene Interglacial period and the only sure thing is there will be another ice age, not when will there be another ice age?

Some of us do.

The people organizing our New World Order probably know, as well. /only half tinfoil due to the election of Zero.

Thanks for the ping, Sunken Civ.

[ETL]

I can’t believe those perfectly straight roof lines were drawn on an etch-a-sketch. You had to turn the vertical and horizontal knobs at the same time to draw a diagonal line. It was just about impossible to do it smoothly.

[Waco]

In the 60’s there was lot of debate over tying all the power grids together, naturally the libs were all for it.

[Waco]

But first, this word from Schlitz!!!

[LachlanMinnesota]

I vote to send Obama to dialogue with the sun to fix this mess.

[FrankR]

"Report: Powerful Solar Storm Could Shut Down U.S. for Months"

Boy, the left has a million of 'em don't they? A catastrophe for every occasion.

And just in time with the gorebull warming bubble about to burst in algore's chubby face.

I'm not sure how much good a tube radio will do, because it sounds like this storm will melt all the transmitters anyway.

I'm waiting for Liberal Catastrophes" to become a category on Jeopardy.

[mylife]

While the sun is in a lull now, activity can flare up at any moment,

[mark3681]

...Cycle 24 is late and that’s why it’s getting so cold all around the world:”

Well, if the sun is anything like my wife, and it’s in its cycle, it will be VERY cold for a while!

[AFreeBird]

I can’t believe those perfectly straight roof lines were drawn on an etch-a-sketch.

You'd be surprised at what people have done with an Etch-A-Sketch.