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An unexpected, thick layer of solar particles inside Earth's magnetic field suggests there are huge breaches in our planet's solar defenses, scientists said. These breaches indicate that during the next period of high solar activity, due to start in 2012, Earth will experience some of the worst solar storms seen in decades. Solar winds—charged particles from the sun—help create auroras, the brightly colored lights that sometimes appear above the Earth's poles.But the winds also trigger storms that can interfere with satellites' power sources, endanger spacewalkers, and even knock out power grids on Earth. "The sequence we're expecting … is just right to put particles in and energize them to create the biggest geomagnetic storms, the brightest auroras, the biggest disturbances in Earth's radiation belts," said David Sibeck, a space-weather expert at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. "So if all of this is true, it should be that we're in for a tough time in the next 11 years." Data from NASA's THEMIS satellite showed that a 4,000-mile-thick (6,437-kilometer-thick) layer of solar particles has gathered and is rapidly growing within the outermost part of the magnetosphere, a protective bubble created by Earth's magnetic field...
NASA's five THEMIS spacecraft have discovered a breach in Earth's magnetic field ten times larger than anything previously thought to exist. Solar wind can flow in through the opening to "load up" the magnetosphere for powerful geomagnetic storms. But the breach itself is not the biggest surprise. Researchers are even more amazed at the strange and unexpected way it forms, overturning long-held ideas of space physics.
"At first I didn't believe it," says THEMIS project scientist David Sibeck of the Goddard Space Flight Center. "This finding fundamentally alters our understanding of the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction."
Space is a hostile place; it is loaded with radiation, including gamma rays, x-rays and ultra-violet radiation, all of which are dangerous to us and the other life forms with which we share the Earth. Then there are showers and streams of high-energy particles from the Sun, such as protons and atoms stripped of many of their electrons. These can also be deadly. Luckily, our atmosphere stops most of the radiation, and the Earth's magnetic field stops or deflects the particles. An atmosphere and a magnetic field are good things for a planet to have, and are important elements in our welfare. It is therefore a bit worrying that there is evidence that our planet's magnetic field occasionally reverses, and during the transition it vanishes altogether.
Climate change factors
Climate Change is the result of a great many factors including; the dynamic processes of the Earth itself, external forces including variations in sunlight intensity, and more recently by human activities. External factors that can shape climate are often called climate forcings and include such processes as variations in solar radiation, deviations in the Earth's orbit, and the level of greenhouse gas concentrations
MYTH Mankind is pumping out carbon dioxide at a prodigious rate.
FACT 96.5% of all carbon dioxide emissions are from natural sources, mankind is responsible for only 3.5%, with 0.6% coming from fuel to move vehicles, and about 1% from fuel to heat buildings. Yet vehicle fuel (petrol) is taxed at 300% while fuel to heat buildings is taxed at 5% even though buildings emit nearly twice as much carbon dioxide!
According to a recent press release, this era of increased solar activity will last 11 years and is officially called Solar Cycle 24. It is expected to build gradually and peak in 2011 or 2012, although “devastating” solar storms can occur at any time, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center says.
Even NOAA’s top man, Conrad Lautenbacher, wants to make sure we’re all prepared for the worst:
“Our growing dependence on highly sophisticated, space-based technologies means we are far more vulnerable to space weather today than in the past,” he said in a prepared statement.
Earth’s magnetic shielding protects us from this solar gale. Earth’s magnetosphere deflects solar wind particles before they penetrate our atmosphere. The auroras are visible evidence of the magnetosphere in action.
But Mars has a weak magnetic field so the carbon dioxide atmosphere is pummeled by the solar wind. The martian atmosphere extends hundreds of miles above the surface. The sun’s ultraviolet radiation ionizes the atmospheric gases and then the electrically charged solar wind snags these ions and sweeps them away.
"Impacts would be felt on interdependent infrastructures with, for example, potable water distribution affected within several hours; perishable foods and medications lost in 12-24 hours; immediate or eventual loss of heating/air conditioning, sewage disposal, phone service, transportation, fuel resupply and so on," the report states.
Outages could take months to fix, the researchers say. Banks might close, and trade with other countries might halt.
"Emergency services would be strained, and command and control might be lost," write the researchers, led by Daniel Baker, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
"Whether it is terrestrial catastrophes or extreme space weather incidents, the results can be devastating to modern societies that depend in a myriad of ways on advanced technological systems," Baker said in a statement released with the report.
Stormy past
S 5
Extreme
Biological: unavoidable high radiation hazard to astronauts on EVA (extra-vehicular activity); passengers and crew in high-flying aircraft at high latitudes may be exposed to radiation risk.***
Satellite operations: satellites may be rendered useless, memory impacts can cause loss of control, may cause serious noise in image data, star-trackers may be unable to locate sources; permanent damage to solar panels possible.
Other systems: complete blackout of HF (high frequency) communications possible through the polar regions, and position errors make navigation operations extremely difficult.
105
Fewer than 1 per cycle
Originally posted by theflashor
no replies? strange for ats
A thicker layer of solar particles, however, isn't enough by itself to create geomagnetic troubles for Earth.
A thicker layer of solar particles, however, isn't enough by itself to create geomagnetic troubles for Earth.
These breaches indicate that during the next period of high solar activity, due to start in 2012, Earth will experience some of the worst solar storms seen in decades.
They tell you what could happen but never talk about what we could do in a crises such as this one