How solar storms that cause the Northern Lights have the power to wreak havoc on Earth
Much of the planning for severe space weather dates back to the 1859 Carrington Event, the most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history.
This created rapid changes in the Earth’s magnetic field, causing electricity to be generated in long cables.
Telegraph operators received electric shocks, poles were seen sparking, and some conversations between operators could continue when the batteries were disconnected.
All this happened a long time ago, but with today’s advanced technologies, the effects of a similar event would be much more devastating.
Satellites may be badly affected. Strong solar storms can cause Earth’s atmosphere to expand into space, creating more drag for satellites. This could cause some to slow down enough for them to fall out of orbit and fall back to Earth.
This is not just a theoretical risk; A solar storm that may occur in February 2022 Caused the loss of 38 satellites, external.
Satellites’ orbital changes also increase the risk of collision, and space weather can also damage sensitive electronics on the ship, causing malfunctions.
Radio communications may be badly affected by GPS systems being lost or disrupted for days; Therefore, your car’s navigation device may stop working and create congestion in cities.
