Spaceweather reports that the solar wind has damaged the Earth’s magnetic field. The magnetic field plays a major role in protecting the ozone layer and life on Earth from harmful cosmic rays and radiation. The Earth’s magnetic field is threatened by solar winds of up to 400 kilometers per second.
Solar wind is caused by fluctuations in the energy of the Sun’s outer plasma. The origin of the solar wind is due to the extreme heat of the sun. In addition to the threat to the Earth’s magnetic field, this solar wind can also affect radio waves, damage satellites and power supply systems. The solar wind caused severe power outages in many parts of the world.
In 2008, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reported to the U.S. government that a strong solar wind would cause a loss of $ 1 trillion. The report said that not only the power supply network but also the oil and gas pipelines, undersea communication cables, telephone networks and railways would be affected. The report warned that it could take months and sometimes years to restore strategic infrastructure.
Solar winds are estimated to occur every 11 years. This means that the next solar wind will occur later this year or early next year. The solar wind does not get dangerously strong every eleven years. The previous devastating solar wind was in March 1989. The power outage in the Canadian province of Quebec lasted for nine hours. About 60 lakh people have been left in the dark for so long.
These solar winds reach the earth days after they leave the sun. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory was the first to detect the release of this solar wind from the Sun on July 25. Solar winds from the Sun can also cause polarization in the polar regions. The charged particles in the solar wind are attracted by the Earth’s magnetic field. Polarization occurs when these particles collide with gaseous molecules in the atmosphere.
Recent Comments