For ages, the Sun has been an immense source of energy in the solar system. Anything regarding the sun is interesting to the scientists, be it- positive or negative, because of curiosity. Sun is the driving force of our solar system and thus, forms a curiosity among researchers.
One of the dangerous things that have come to attention is the Sun storm. It has been an area of curiosity for researchers for many years and recently came to light.
Solar storm as a hazard: The negatives
According to NASA’s reports, there are various dangers to the naturally built sun storms:
- These storms can produce their own magnetic fields which could interfere with the Earth’s magnetic fields. This may affect the compass readings.
- These altering magnetic fields could induce electricity in large pipelines.
- They could also produce electric surges in the Earth’s power grids leading to brownouts and blackouts.
- The solar storm is also capable of disrupting the working of satellites, telecommunications, and navigation systems.
- Power grid failures and regional blackouts could also be experienced due to them.
- According to a few researchers of the University of California, the solar storm can also damage the working of submarine cables and interrupt the working of the internet.
- The conductors which connect repeaters in the long-haul sea cable serve as the power feeding line of the internet. If they ever get damaged by the solar storm, then there would be a total internet blackout.
- In short, they could wreak complete havoc on Earth’s electric and electronic infrastructures. The fiber-optic cables which assist the internet, the satellites, and the whole electric grid could be broken down, causing catastrophic conditions for investment & livelihood on Earth.
Do solar storms possess any danger to the human race?
Fortunately, NOT! Till now the scientists haven’t propounded any such danger to the humans from solar storms if THEY REMAIN ON THE EARTH’S SURFACE. This is because the Earth’s atmosphere is capable of absorbing the majority of harmful radiation from outer space.
But the coronal mass ejections could prove to be fatal for the unshielded astronauts who venture into space.
