How The White House Would Deal With A Huge Solar Storm That Could Send Us Back To The Dark Age

Num7

Administrator
Staff
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12,376
The worst solar storm to hit the Earth in recorded history happened in 1859. Known as the Carrington Event, it generated auroras as far south as Cuba and caused havoc with the primitive electrical system of the time, generating fires in telegraph stations. It’s estimated that such a large solar storm will occur roughly every 150 years or so. If one of a similar magnitude were to hit the Earth now, with a society much more dependent on electronics and technology, it would undoubtedly have catastrophic consequences.

Due to this increasing threat, the White House’s National Science and Technology Council has released a National Space Weather Action Plan, in which it details a strategic plan to prepare for an event such as a major solar storm. The document warns that with electrical systems becoming increasingly interconnected, if one were to be knocked out, it could cause a cascade of system failures. It recommends a federally-coordinated approach to a number of procedures, from reducing the vulnerability of those infrastructures deemed most at risk, to increasing our forecasting and communications abilities.

The Sun is constantly ejecting charged subatomic particles in the form of solar winds, some of which hit our atmosphere. It is this that causes the northern lights, or auroras, though most of the particles that reach us are deflected by Earth’s magnetic field. Occasionally, particularly large flares will burst from the Sun and the particles will make it through our magnetic field. A recent study has estimated that there is a 12 percent chance that one of these “megaflares” will erupt within the decade, sending a massive solar storm our way.

We’ve already had a taster of what might happen if we were struck by a storm, albeit on a much smaller scale. Back in 1989 Canada got hit by solar storm that created a power surge on the electrical grid. Within 90 seconds this caused the shut-down of Hydro-Québec’s electrical system, leaving millions without power for nine hours. If this were to happen on a much grander scale, the damage would be huge.

One estimate suggests that if a storm the size of the Carrington Event were to hit today, the cost of the clean-up in the U.S. alone would be somewhere between $1-2 trillion (£657 billion to £1.3 trillion) during the first year, with a recovery that could take up to a decade. Every facet of our lives would be impacted, from transportation, communication, banking and government, as we live in an increasingly electronic world.

In fact the danger is so great that the European Space Agency is also working on its own warning system using scientists spread across 14 countries across Europe. At the moment there isn’t actually much we can do if a storm were to hit, except warn the necessary parties of the incoming threat, who could then make preparations, such as shutting down relevant systems to limit the potential damage.

Source:
Here's How The White House Would Deal With A Huge Solar Storm That Could Send Us Back To The Dark Age
 

walt willis

Senior Member
Messages
1,823
A very important topic for sure!

Here is what I remember off the top of my head...

We may know if the sun fires a shot at us and may be warned about one or two days in advance, however! and a big However, is if the solar storm has a negative charge associated with the storm.
They are the most destructive but we have no instruments able to tell until the storm is within about ten hours from earth.

The greatest danger that the average person may face would be the power line induction from the storm will travel to ground.
Translation: Your home load center! Many transformers outside your home will explode and may catch fire along with it will be the fire at your circuit breaker box on the outside of your home.

Call the fire department you say?
NOT going to happen as your telephone may not work either...
It would help to save your home if you buy a few large fire extinguishers.
Also, if you respond quickly enough you may also wish to put out your neighbors home as the radiant heat will cause your home to ignite.
A fire will double is size and intensity every minute!
Have a plan so you won't spend a year or more in a FEMA camp!

Now for the folks that think that I just like to scare people...Grow UP!
 

Physics vs Jaden

Amazing Person
Zenith
Messages
724
Actually, it's considered a solar flare. It happens when the sun lets out nuclear fusion and it hits earth, causing all electronics to STOP working. This includes, T.V.'s, Power lines, and even light bulbs.
 

walt willis

Senior Member
Messages
1,823
High winds knocked out about a third of the power in Spokane, WA tonight.
Damn good training!
We lost power for around two weeks in August this year from the wildfires.
More good training!
But a nationwide blackout could spell disaster if it were from an EMP or CME because not only would there be no line power, but there would be no food or water delivered to your homes or stores.
I wish more people would give it some thought and stock up on both long term water and food.
The Book called: One Second After should be a must read...
 

Derrick C.

Member
Messages
399
The worst solar storm to hit the Earth in recorded history happened in 1859. Known as the Carrington Event, it generated auroras as far south as Cuba and caused havoc with the primitive electrical system of the time, generating fires in telegraph stations. It’s estimated that such a large solar storm will occur roughly every 150 years or so. If one of a similar magnitude were to hit the Earth now, with a society much more dependent on electronics and technology, it would undoubtedly have catastrophic consequences.

Due to this increasing threat, the White House’s National Science and Technology Council has released a National Space Weather Action Plan, in which it details a strategic plan to prepare for an event such as a major solar storm. The document warns that with electrical systems becoming increasingly interconnected, if one were to be knocked out, it could cause a cascade of system failures. It recommends a federally-coordinated approach to a number of procedures, from reducing the vulnerability of those infrastructures deemed most at risk, to increasing our forecasting and communications abilities.

The Sun is constantly ejecting charged subatomic particles in the form of solar winds, some of which hit our atmosphere. It is this that causes the northern lights, or auroras, though most of the particles that reach us are deflected by Earth’s magnetic field. Occasionally, particularly large flares will burst from the Sun and the particles will make it through our magnetic field. A recent study has estimated that there is a 12 percent chance that one of these “megaflares” will erupt within the decade, sending a massive solar storm our way.

We’ve already had a taster of what might happen if we were struck by a storm, albeit on a much smaller scale. Back in 1989 Canada got hit by solar storm that created a power surge on the electrical grid. Within 90 seconds this caused the shut-down of Hydro-Québec’s electrical system, leaving millions without power for nine hours. If this were to happen on a much grander scale, the damage would be huge.

One estimate suggests that if a storm the size of the Carrington Event were to hit today, the cost of the clean-up in the U.S. alone would be somewhere between $1-2 trillion (£657 billion to £1.3 trillion) during the first year, with a recovery that could take up to a decade. Every facet of our lives would be impacted, from transportation, communication, banking and government, as we live in an increasingly electronic world.

In fact the danger is so great that the European Space Agency is also working on its own warning system using scientists spread across 14 countries across Europe. At the moment there isn’t actually much we can do if a storm were to hit, except warn the necessary parties of the incoming threat, who could then make preparations, such as shutting down relevant systems to limit the potential damage.

Source:
Here's How The White House Would Deal With A Huge Solar Storm That Could Send Us Back To The Dark Age

well with how active the sun has been lately i think its only a matter of time before that big whammy of a solar storm hits us and when it does all tech will go out for at least 9months to a couple years, but thats enough for the world to collapse/come to a end, scary right?
 

Derrick C.

Member
Messages
399
High winds knocked out about a third of the power in Spokane, WA tonight.
Damn good training!
We lost power for around two weeks in August this year from the wildfires.
More good training!
But a nationwide blackout could spell disaster if it were from an EMP or CME because not only would there be no line power, but there would be no food or water delivered to your homes or stores.
I wish more people would give it some thought and stock up on both long term water and food.
The Book called: One Second After should be a must read...

can i find that on amazon?
 

Darshan

Junior Member
Messages
33
Humanity, in its imperfect state,is not capable to defend itself against a solar storm and already has a very primitive civilization,so really we will not have much to lose.
 

Dr.Acula

Junior Member
Messages
36
Im gonna need to get peoples adresses. I have a lot of out of state friends so id have a lot of letters to write.
 

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