What is Solar Storm?

 

             Auroras may look stunning from here on Earth, but the geomagnetic storms that cause them could also pose a potential threat to our planet. Here's why. What is a solar storm? It all starts 93 million miles away with a tremendous burst of energy from the sun. These explosions can be categorized into two events: CMEs or Solar flares. A CME or coronal mass ejection is a giant cloud of particles hurled into space. This phenomenon will typically take between one to five days to reach the Earth. A solar flare is a giant burst of x-rays and energy, which takes about eight minutes to make it to our planet. These space weather events only impact Earth when the explosion occurs on the side of the sun that is facing our planet. The explosions produce a gust of solar wind, which hurdles through space, temporarily disrupting the outer part of Earth's magnetic field. This causes a geomagnetic storm, also referred to as a solar storm. Particles flowing from the sun get caught up in the Earth's magnetic field creating a colourful Aurora, otherwise known as the northern or southern lights. 

           How does a solar storm work? The particles interact with molecules of atmospheric gases, causing glowing red and green colours in the sky. Usually only seen in the far northern and southern regions like Iceland or New Zealand. A solar storm can wreak havoc on earth, but not in the way you think. While the atmosphere protects us from these harmful rays, a large storm can interfere with radio communication, GPS systems and satellites, can corrode oil and gas pipelines and even cause power blackouts. 

                          How does a solar storm affect us? While scientists have observed thousands of solar flares over the years, none have matched the intensity of the 1859 Carrington Event. The largest geomagnetic storm in recorded history, it crippled telegraphs around the world as sparks flew from equipment, shocking their human operators and even starting fires. How much does a solar storm cost? The solar storm created an aurora so bright that people in the north-eastern U.S. reportedly used the storm's glow to read the newspaper at night. In the 21st century, this event would've had a much more severe impact on today's technology-dependent society. Scientists estimate that a solar storm of that magnitude today has the potential to cost nearly $2 trillion, affect up to 40 million people, and cause blackouts lasting between 16 days to two years. Solar activity, like sun flares and CMEs, fluctuates in 11-year cycles, and right now, it's on the rise. Scientists predict this stormy activity will reach its peak in 2025.