Nasa employee warning on solar flares

I had always thought it takes about three days for the charged particles of a solar flare to reach us. They certainly travel slower than photons. The sun is under constant photographic surveillance, so we'll have some warning. Ed Dames must be biting his nails about now.

Originally posted by painterdude
I had always thought it takes about three days for the charged particles of a solar flare to reach us. They certainly travel slower than photons. The sun is under constant photographic surveillance, so we'll have some warning. Ed Dames must be biting his nails about now.

You're right because people are always putting up the Spaceweather.com info about the size of an incoming flare and when to expect it. There have also been meetings to talk about orderly shut down of the grid so that it isn't on when/if we get hit by a flare becasue if it isn't on it would be far less likely to take damage.

Originally posted by shadwgirl
reply to post by TDawgRex

 

But wouldn't a flare of this magnitude only affect the part of the planet facing the sun? Excuse my ignorance, I wouldn't ask if I wasn't sure of the answer.

Yeahh, I was thinking exactly the same LOL

reply to post by shadwgirl


Believe me, we will all be hear in 2012, spouting about the next global killer.

If not, we won't know about it.

Peace

Originally posted by shadwgirl
I apologize. He wanted the nasa channel so he and his kids could watch the shuttle take off. He got transferred to ohio and couldn't watch it live. He mentioned the solar flare would most likely be next year so don't keep track of the channel just for this. Watch it because it is way cool. I should have mentioned this in my original post.

How did NASA know that there will be massive flare next year? Is solar flare that predictable now? They cannot even predict when an earthquake will occur.

Would this be the type of solar flare that would fry all electronics not encased in a shield of lead?

Originally posted by simone50m
reply to post by shadwgirl

 

Very innnnteresting. What I also......watched on my evening news was: It started as a report about the economy, (inflation, people, government , finance, prices jobs.) and then I am looking at this MSM guy who is questioning a roomfull of people he gathered together. They were all over 45 but too young to go on retirement. They were frustrated, and one lady's home was in foreclosure. They were all working hard trying to find new employment, after having been with NASA-type jobs for a long time. Maybe he was one of them??!!

My thoughts exactly - but what does that tell us. Is he speaking the truth????

Originally posted by TDawgRex
reply to post by shadwgirl

 

We've been grazed before recently, with spectacular effects. However, we have not been subjected to a direct hit anytime recently. And it also depends upon the size of the burst.

You are correct. The burst in the 1800's fried the telegraph lines. Imagine what it would do now. The military might survive a planet wide EMP, but I don't think that the planets nations are hardened agaist it.

You refer to the Carrington Event of 1859. The charged particles striking Earth in a different set of problems than a massive electromagnetic radiation burst (gamma, light band, etc.) A lot of govt and military hardware is now COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) which is not EMP hardened. Lowest cost certainly but the procurement personnel blew off the EMP hardened spec, which drives up the cost sometimes by a factor of 10 to get the same daily functionality. I've been part of the armed forces since '71, still am now as a contractor in electronics. Drives me nuts to hear upper management blow off the EMP hardened spec.

Originally posted by timi0000
Would this be the type of solar flare that would fry all electronics not encased in a shield of lead?

The protection is performed by ferric material shielding (iron-based), which is why EMP hardened electronics is so large and heavy. Other materials work but with less efficiency. Lead protects against alpha and beta particulate radiation and higher frequency electromagnetics such as X-ray and gamma ray.

reply to post by shadwgirl


That was me calling you.

It was all for the Lulz.

reply to post by tkwasny


I recently retired, but I had been told that the ASIPs and the newer PSC-5's were hardened, but the MBITR's (PRC-148) were not. I was a user, so I never dug into the guts of radios. I do know that the Joes like the MBITR for ease of use though.

Off subject, I used to love to tell the FNG's to go see the 1SG and pick up a PRC-E8.

Originally posted by SmoKeyHaZe
Is this just another case of scare-mongering? First Niburu/Elenin/HAARP (Not that I'm denying any/all of those, but feel a lot of "hype" has been created from such popular topics), now a solar flare, that's going to knock out all satellites?

I just find it interesting that a man who actually works for NASA, is unable to get the channel in his house...Then goes one step further by giving out, what I'm guessing should be classified information, over the phone, to a stranger?

I'm not doubting you, but how can you verify his background credentials, to working for NASA? He coulda been one of us on ATS, for all we know!

edit on 8-7-2011 by SmoKeyHaZe because: (no reason given)

Probably we need to use less the term "Fear (or scare) Mongering. This year we've seen so many events in our planet that are unavoidable scary. Elenin is scary, the solar activity lately monitored by satellites is scary, Mega Earthquakes are scary. It's right to feel fear, like a normal person. The opposite would be arrogance or a lack of capacity to face it. Some people get panic about these events and make alarming statements too, but had to be something that creates that reaction.

Why would someone order a satellite channel when he suspects the satellites are going down soon anyway?
He would end up paying for a service that he can't enjoy.
I think someone just pulled your leg OP.

This thread got me to thinking ..what is a solar flare? This is what I like about ATS...the expansion of my thought process...and learning something new everyday.

To the author of this thread...thanks for sharing...and I believe you.

And...for those of you who also may be wondering what a (solar flare) is...here is the link:

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by shadwgirl


You said he worked for nasa I would think he meant his fellow co workers. I think maybe he didn't work for nasa but tells people he does so they will listen to him about dangerous solar flares really are.

reply to post by shadwgirl


If he is REALLY worried about things,he wouldnt be updating his cable service...JMO

reply to post by shadwgirl


Statements like this "probably wont happen until next year (2012) "and also this is the last space shuttle they are sending up. Makes me think they are a little worried about something.

reply to post by caladonea


No,,,, THIS,, is Solar Flare:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/212b44152d35.jpg[/atsimg]

I call BS on this thread

Originally posted by Homedawg
I call BS on this thread

Pics or it didn't happen