Massive solar storm 'could knock out radio signals' over next three days, warn scientists - Polidicks

[QUOTE][B]Massive solar storm 'could knock out radio signals' over next three days, warn scientists[/B] Skywatchers will be hoping for clear skies from today because particles from a recent solar storm will slam into Earth and produce amazing Northern Lights, or auroras.On the downside, experts expect radio blackouts for a few days, caused by the radiation from the flare – or coronal mass ejection (CME) – causing magnetic storms.The flare is part of a larger increase in activity in the Sun, which runs in 11-year cycles. It is expected to peak around 2013. [IMG]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/12/28/article-2079352-0F49A3DA00000578-781_634x564.jpg[/IMG] It's coming this way: The CME, seen by Nasa's STEREO-B spacecraft, can be seen blasting out from the Sun on the right-hand side (circled) [IMG]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/12/28/article-2079352-005B561D1000044C-699_634x433.jpg[/IMG] Stunning Northern Lights are expected in the next few days from radiation produced by a huge solar flare The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center wrote: ‘Category G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storms are expected 28 and 29 December due to multiple coronal mass ejection arrivals. R1 (Minor) radio blackouts are expected until 31 December.’Devices that depend on radio waves include GPS systems, radios and mobile phones. A coronal mass ejection contains billions of tons of gases bursting with X-rays and ultraviolet radiation that are flung into space at around 5million mph.They are mind-bogglingly hot – around 100,000,000C.The Earth is occasionally hosed by these ejections, leading to amazing shimmering light shows. [IMG]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/12/28/article-2079352-0C77A29C00000578-571_634x623.jpg[/IMG] Heat is on: Solar flares spray gases out at 5million mph and at 100,000,000C. Pictured is a flare that erupted in June this year They are caused by the ionised solar particles becoming imprisoned by Earth’s magnetic field, exciting the gases in the atmosphere and emitting bursts of energy in the form of light.However, these particles can also cause magnetic storms, which in extreme cases have been known to disrupt satellites and electricity grids.In 1989, a CME was held responsible for leaving six million people in Quebec, Canada, without power.Last month one of the largest storms our star can produce was detected.Known as an X1.9 flare, it was one of the biggest seen in years.The flare was so powerful that it disrupted communications systems on earth a short time later.Another gigantic flare occurred in August - shown in the video below - but because it took place on the side of the Sun not facing Earth, there was no disruption to communications or power. Read more: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2079352/Massive-solar-storm-knock-radio-signals-produce-amazing-Northern-Lights.html#ixzz1hscDaGWw[/URL][/QUOTE] Also, enjoy your crappy layout :D

Well, some people are going to think this could be the end of the world

It's always quite humbling to hear about these things and the damage they could cause.

Cool.

will this effect our internet and communication broadcasts?

What about my computer? Will it be safe?

[QUOTE=XanaToast.;33941892]will this effect our internet and communication broadcasts?[/QUOTE] Fuck, what will I do without the Internet for three days?!

I don't suppose the UK is safe at all? In the likely event it isn't, are we still likely to get those stunning auroras?

[QUOTE=newsarticle;33941830]It is expected to peak around 2013.[/QUOTE] oh how convenient

[QUOTE=TheJoker;33941900]What about my computer? Will it be safe?[/QUOTE] Galactic cosmic rays cause billions of errors in computers worldwide anyway

[quote=Daily Mail]Devices that depend on radio waves include radios[/quote] holy shit, i never knew that, thanks daily mail

Unless you're dependent on electronics above the atmosphere, you don't have much to worry about.

[QUOTE=Baldr 2.0;33941963]Those are mostly sea cables. [IMG]http://www.thedaytradingacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/World-Underwater-Sea-Cables.gif[/IMG][/QUOTE] That explains why my ping to Singaporean servers is about as bad as to American ones

So where exactly would these northern lights be seen? Anywhere non-Arctic?

[QUOTE=Instant Mix;33942074]So where exactly would these northern lights be seen? Anywhere non-Arctic?[/QUOTE] The northern aurora ('lights' is such a stupid descriptor) is most obvious at the magnetic north pole, and less so as you get further away [editline]29th December 2011[/editline] And the magnetic north pole is currently on the North American side of a world, so you'd be able to see it from Canada, and more so than you would on the other side of the world

[QUOTE=Contag;33942031]That explains why my ping to Singaporean servers is about as bad as to American ones[/QUOTE] Type of cable, infrastructure at recieving end, amount of traffic, etc. American servers are probably in server clusters that are wired with fibre optics DIRECTLY to an ISP data center. Singaporean servers might not have the same infrastructure? I dunno.

Woops, I thought it said "then" not "that"

Daily Mail...

This is why we have the ionosphere. Along with the rest of the atmosphere to help.

[QUOTE=XanaToast.;33941892]will this effect our internet and communication broadcasts?[/QUOTE] Maybe 3G/LTE and cellular connections, but I doubt it would affect landlines and cable internet.

Oh man Northern Lights are awesome.

[QUOTE=Baldr 2.0;33942118]What I have read about it, it can affect one side of the planet while the other side is doing just fine.[/QUOTE] But isn't the UK sort of close to the US? Then again I haven't seen a map of the world for quite some time. [QUOTE=ZombieDawgs;33942145]Daily Mail...[/QUOTE] How does being passive agressively racist affect their astronomy?

[I]Are Coronal Mass Ejections threatening the Sexuality of British Youths?[/I] On a serious note, I think this is relatively accurate. It's actually a good thing, considering that a worst case scenario for this would be a planet-wide EMP.

no it wont just throwing that out there

We're dun goofed.

[QUOTE=Contag;33942084]The northern aurora ('lights' is such a stupid descriptor) is most obvious at the magnetic north pole, and less so as you get further away [editline]29th December 2011[/editline] And the magnetic north pole is currently on the North American side of a world, so you'd be able to see it from Canada, and more so than you would on the other side of the world[/QUOTE] Wrong way around. Magnetic north is, at the moment, geographically south (and vice-versa). It's why the north pole of a magnet POINTS geographically north (because the Earth's magnetic south pole is up near the north pole, so the magnetic north pole in your compass is attracted to the magnetic south pole of Earth).

Hmm would be interesting if it were like this for New Years. So many people would flip shit, say it's Obama's fault.

[QUOTE=Baldr 2.0;33941963]Those are mostly sea cables. [IMG]http://www.thedaytradingacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/World-Underwater-Sea-Cables.gif[/IMG][/QUOTE] America looks like it's sucking the brains out of Europe for nutrients.

The only source to this so far seems to to be the daily mail. I'm having trouble with this one.

[QUOTE=Baldr 2.0;33941963]Those are mostly sea cables. [IMG]http://www.thedaytradingacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/World-Underwater-Sea-Cables.gif[/IMG][/QUOTE] The sea cables from Europe appear to connect to the US somewhere around New Jersey. Explains why Europe has such a shitty perception of America, you're being piped directly into New Jersey.