A powerful solar storm is brewing in outer space, and according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it can have a major impact on Earth’s critical infrastructure, especially communication networks. After more than two decades, NOAA issued a severe geomagnetic storm warning on Thursday and classified it as a severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch.
“NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) — a division of the National Weather Service — is monitoring the sun following a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that began on May 8. Space weather forecasters have issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for the evening of Friday, May 10. Additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend,” the SWPC said in a press statement.
The agency said a large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday at 5:00 am ET. At least five flares were associated with CMEs that appear to be Earth-directed, and SWPC forecasters will monitor NOAA and NASA’s space assets for the onset of a geomagnetic storm, it added.
“CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. They cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth. Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth’s surface, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio, and satellite operations,” the US agency said.
How do Solar storms impact Earth?
Solar storms majorly impact communication and satellite networks and can disrupt various services, such as communication, weather forecasting, GPS navigation, and other satellite-reliant services. They can induce geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) to overload electrical systems, leading to voltage regulation problems, transformer damage, and large-scale power outages.
Moreover, intense solar storms also pose health risks to humans, especially airline crew and passengers, particularly on flights at high latitudes, as the amount of solar and cosmic radiation reaching the upper parts of Earth’s atmosphere increases during solar storms.
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Published: 10 May 2024, 05:07 PM IST