Bracing the Satellite Infrastructure for a Solar Superstorm

Bracing the Satellite Infrastructure for a Solar Superstorm

www.sciam.com

A recurrence of the 1859 solar superstorm would be a cosmic Katrina, causing billions of dollars of damage to satellites, power grids and radio communications

By Sten F. Odenwald and James L. Green

* The solar superstorm of 1859 was the fiercest ever recorded. Auroras filled the sky as far south as the Caribbean, magnetic compasses went haywire and telegraph systems failed.
* Ice cores suggest that such a blast of solar particles happens only once every 500 years, but even the storms every 50 years could fry satellites, jam radios and cause coast-to-coast blackouts.
* The cost of such an event justifies more systematic solar monitoring and beefier protection for satellites and the power grid.

As night was falling across the Americas on Sunday, August 28, 1859, the phantom shapes of the auroras could already be seen overhead. From Maine to the tip of Florida, vivid curtains of light took the skies. Startled Cubans saw the auroras directly overhead; ships’ logs near the equator described crimson lights reaching halfway to the zenith. Many people thought their cities had caught fire. Scientific instruments around the world, patiently recording minute changes in Earth’s magnetism, suddenly shot off scale, and spurious electric currents surged into the world’s telegraph systems. In Baltimore telegraph operators labored from 8 p.m. until 10 a.m. the next day to transmit a mere 400-word press report.

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WOW! Auroras filled the sky as far south as the Caribbean...This would be nice to see down here in Texas...satellite damage aside, this would be so cool if it were to happen in my lifetime. So, what do y'all think? Is this a reality, or another excuse for the government to spend more money on "off the books" projects?

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Originally posted by no name needed


WOW! Auroras filled the sky as far south as the Caribbean...This would be nice to see down here in Texas...satellite damage aside, this would be so cool if it were to happen in my lifetime. So, what do y'all think? Is this a reality, or another excuse for the government to spend more money on "off the books" projects?

www.sciam.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I remember when I was child (sometime in the 80's I believe is when it took place), I was on a walk with my family when the sky turned quite red. It was very eerie to say the least. Dad went and called the police to see what was going on, but it wasn't until later when watching the news that we found out it was the Auroras. We live outside of Austin, tx btw We were astounded that we could see them all the way down here. pretty cool!!