Earth survived near-miss from 2012 solar storm: NASA
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Handout photo released by Nasa Earth Observatory on June 7, 2011 and taken from Nasa's Solar Dynamics …
Washington (AFP) - Back in 2012, the Sun erupted with a powerful solar storm that just missed the Earth but was big enough to "knock modern civilization back to the 18th century," NASA said.
The extreme space weather that tore through Earth's orbit on July 23, 2012, was the most powerful in 150 years, according to a statement posted on the US space agency website Wednesday.
However, few Earthlings had any idea what was going on.
"If the eruption had occurred only one week earlier, Earth would have been in the line of fire," said Daniel Baker, professor of atmospheric and space physics at the University of Colorado.
Instead the storm cloud hit the STEREO-A spacecraft, a solar observatory that is "almost ideally equipped to measure the parameters of such an event," NASA said.
Scientists have analyzed the treasure trove of data it collected and concluded that it would have been comparable to the largest known space storm in 1859, known as the Carrington event.
It also would have been twice as bad as the 1989 solar storm that knocked out power across Quebec, scientists said.
"I have come away from our recent studies more convinced than ever that Earth and its inhabitants were incredibly fortunate that the 2012 eruption happened when it did," said Baker.
The National Academy of Sciences has said the economic impact of a storm like the one in 1859 could cost the modern economy more than two trillion dollars and cause damage that might take years to repair.
Experts say solar storms can cause widespread power blackouts, disabling everything from radio to GPS communications to water supplies -- most of which rely on electric pumps.
They begin with an explosion on the Sun's surface, known as a solar flare, sending X-rays and extreme UV radiation toward Earth at light speed.
Hours later, energetic particles follow and these electrons and protons can electrify satellites and damage their electronics.
Next are the coronal mass ejections, billion-ton clouds of magnetized plasma that take a day or more to cross the Sun-Earth divide.
These are often deflected by Earth's magnetic shield, but a direct hit could be devastating.
There is a 12 percent chance of a super solar storm the size of the Carrington event hitting Earth in the next 10 years, according to physicist Pete Riley, who published a paper in the journal Space Weather earlier this year on the topic.
His research was based on an analysis of solar storm records going back 50 years.
"Initially, I was quite surprised that the odds were so high, but the statistics appear to be correct," said Riley.
"It is a sobering figure."
COMMENTS:
Noni15 minutes ago
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Here is another reminder of how vulnerable we are. Despite all the chatter about who is who and who is important we have to remember that it's all unimportant given the reality of what and where we are. We are a floating orb in space subject to what is around us. It could be the sun or space junk or a meteor. We could be a slight explosion in space in seconds and no one would care. Remember that when you are composing your negative email about someone. Does it matter?
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A Yahoo! User52 minutes ago
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In a world relying ever-more on electronic devices and satellite communication, a massive solar "bombing" could disrupt almost every aspect of our lives. We'd better prepare a backup for our communications and our computers right now because if we don't we'll be living in the same backwards s**thole as much of the Third World. If you think I'm kidding, try being without your phone or tablet for a week, and then imagine that you might have to live without electricity or running water. This could actually happen; it's much more likely than Earth being hit by a massive asteroid.
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Deb23 minutes ago
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Not being in the know of such things, I am pushed to ask what might sound like a stupid question: Did they know in advance of this solar storm to warn people ahead and would they know for another questionable event that might knock out everything? I guess I am asking simply, CAN they warn us of the next possible event when it happens that we might be more prepared with water storage, probably my biggest concern with 8 grandchildren, 7 under the age of 11? Am I over-reacting by worrying about this?? I am totally serious about this inquiry. Thank you.
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ALFAOMEGA3 hours ago
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The strongest Solar Flare with CME that was recorded by our satellites to date occurred on October 28th 2003. It initially measured an X27 but was later upgraded to an X45.. The satellite that measured it was knocked offline for 11 mins before coming back on again..It wasn't directed toward Earth but the continent of Africa was hit by the glancing blow of the CME , and it caused major power damage that took years to repair.Auroras were seen as far south as the Gulf of Mexico for a few nights after. The giant transformers at power plants and at sub stations along our power grid would be devastated by any direct hit and it would take up to ten years or longer to repair the damage.The waiting list for the huge transformers is up to three years right now.Any early warning our planet can get will help us to power down the affected power grids before the charged particles arrive.We can have controlled blackouts to prevent damage to the grid instead of permanent damage.
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Ed7 hours ago
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If we do get hit by a solar storm you can bet the idiots on both sides of the aisle will pointing fingers at the other political party. To some twits everything boils down to politics.
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advocate4civility6 hours ago
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We Earthlings take so much for granted. The fact that our technologically advanced civilization exists at this time is no guarantee that we are invulnerable to space storms such as the one produced by our sun in 2012. Just imagine how petty our domestic and international squabbles would seem were our planet to be hit by a cosmic event that destabilized our electronics, water supplies and other infrastructure elements.
Perhaps we should consider this possibility an incentive for all nations and cultures to develop mechanisms or protocols which will allow us to get along better with each other and to accept the myriad differences which make human interaction and cooperation so daunting at times. Perhaps we should begin to perceive each other as passengers on one complex spaceship whose existence might be compromised at any time by a force greater than anything we can create or imagine.
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Steve3 hours ago
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Just imagine having NO ELECTRICITY hardly anywhere for a couple of weeks or maybe a month or two! Think about it. Many modern cars would also be disabled. Transportation systems shut down. Food distribution at a halt. Emergency services unable to communicate. No phones, no lights, NO WATER (electric pumps) no gasoline (same) NADA! NOTHING! The US electric grid is NOW susceptible to any X class solar flare and would be down for weeks if not months! Congress in the House, passed a bipartisan bill to strengthen the grid against such an event. It was stopped in the Senate by an ALASKAN REPUBLICAN WOMAN SENATOR who wasn't able to get her pork-pie project attached to it! And so far nothing else has been done!
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Reegan12 minutes ago
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I would look forward to it.. Modern society, hah, what a disappointment. This idea of society we have come to accept in America is melting everyone's brains. Everyone lives in a box, works in a box, goes to the grocery store and buys their food in a box, get's on the computer and dates on a box. Geez. This is not gratifying, the human condition wants more. Literally everything we need to survive is given to us. We don't have to think about anything. We can push a button on a wall to heat our homes, put our trash in a can for someone else to deal with. If our needs are not met, they are provided for us. All of that meaningless garbage does a great job of masking how miserable we truly are inside. People complain about ramen noodles, you know how many millions of people had to dig snails out of the mud and off sea shores just to survive? And we complain about noodles in a box? Honestly, how miserable and ungrateful must the psyche of this country be to complain about food in a box, just ready to eat? So much is just handed to us that we have to waste our lives on monotonous garbage instead of actually living and surviving and thriving. Video games, drugs, celebrity gossip, zombie movies, getting fat, twerking, killing people, popping pills, whatever gets you through the day. Is that what being a civilized society means? It's sucking the life out of people. I left the city years ago. Moved to the mountains, split firewood to heat my home. Cattle, hens, garden, fish, and hunt for food. No cell phone towers, no fast food, no malls.
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Steve6 hours ago
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People, the sun can do more damage to the Earth than all of the nuclear weapons every country around the world can do with a blink of an eye. In fact the damage by the sun onto the Earth can not only devastate our civilization, but it could also devastate humanity. With the heavy electromagnetic plasma coming towards the Earth at the speed it does, and with a cloud large enough, we could be the meat on the BBQ. If you all want to know where I got this information, look into the physics of the sun and understand how that raging nuclear ball of flame could ultimately destroy us. As for looking for ways to protect ourselves, there is nothing that will.
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KEJ110 minutes ago
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We are about two generations away from being completely helpless creatures that will depend so much on technology, that when it's wiped out, will die long and painful deaths. All because kids are too bored and stupid to listen to what their parents and grandparents try to teach them. Mark my word, this will be how the 'end' will happen. It'll happen in about a hundred years, when everyone who had common sense is long gone and the earth is over-run by technology minded idiots who are so smart that they know absolutely nothing. Technology will be hit, there will be mass looting, and deaths reaching billions in numbers....
If you think I'm kidding, try being without your phone or tablet for a week, and then imagine that you might have to live without electricity or running water. This could actually happen; it's much more likely than Earth being hit by a massive asteroid.
Perhaps we should consider this possibility an incentive for all nations and cultures to develop mechanisms or protocols which will allow us to get along better with each other and to accept the myriad differences which make human interaction and cooperation so daunting at times. Perhaps we should begin to perceive each other as passengers on one complex spaceship whose existence might be compromised at any time by a force greater than anything we can create or imagine.