All articles tagged with #communication disruptions
NASA warns that a powerful X1.2 solar flare from the sun could cause blackouts and communication disruptions today, with potential impacts including power grid fluctuations, satellite issues, and auroras, as scientists monitor sunspot activity and prepare for possible further solar events.
Powerful solar storms, caused by a coronal mass ejection (CME), are expected to hit Earth on Friday, potentially disrupting radio, GPS, and satellite communication. The storms, categorized as G2 by NOAA, could be as powerful as G3-class storms and may generate vivid auroras. While the upcoming solar storm is expected to be relatively mild, it could still cause minor disruptions to high-latitude communication systems. Solar flares, which can emit harmful radiation, pose no direct threat to human health due to Earth's protective atmosphere.
Researchers from George Mason University and the Naval Research Laboratory are working on creating an early warning system to detect solar storms that could potentially cause an "internet apocalypse" and disrupt global communications for months. Solar storms, which involve solar flares and coronal mass ejections, can send electrical charges and magnetic fields towards Earth at high speeds. In the past, such events have caused disruptions to telegraph systems. If a similar event were to occur today, it could have a devastating impact on modern communication systems, including phones, computers, satellites, and the power grid. The economic cost of such an event could reach billions of dollars per day. Researchers emphasize the need for an early warning system and the hardening of the internet infrastructure to mitigate potential damage.