What happens if the huge sun storm attacks the earth?

I am afraid of earthquakes, typhoons, and heavy rains that cause infrastructure destruction, but more scary is space weather.If you are killed by the Giant Solar Storm, the technology of the earth will be power out of power and the game over all the earth.

"In the modern age of technology, we are as defenseless to space weather than ever. It is extremely difficult to stop if an event of an unusual phenomenon is now."

Mr. Thomas Berger, director of the U.S. Ocean Conditions (NOAA), told Gizmodo.

"Solar Storm" is a phenomenon in which X -rays, charge particles, magnetic plasma, etc. are released from the sun and flies.It was in the mid -19th century that the huge sun storm hit the earth.Space and weather researchers are very concerned about whether the next one will come.

The sun storm usually begins with solar flare.The solar flare is a huge explosion that occurs in the sun, and energy and particles are released in space.

Depending on the X -ray, there are five levels of A, B, C, M, and X, and small C -class flare occurs all year round.It is so weak that it has no effect on the earth.On the other hand, the flare of the medium -sized M -class is slightly caused by radio disorders.In the largest X -class, tremendous energy for 1 billion hydrogen bombs is released.The X -class rarely happens, but when it happens, it's a scene that is not from the world.

The largest flare in observation history captured by modern instruments occurred in the 2003 solar activity.The satellite sensor was shaken out because it was so huge.The recorded grade is X-28 (28 times the X1, X1 10 times the M1).

This is the photo at that time.

太陽圏観測衛星SOHOが捉えた2003年の巨大太陽フレア。(c) ESA / NASA - SOHO

Flare has been more than a century since the observation has begun, but the detailed cause is not well known why the sun explodes.One clear thing is that there is something to do with the solar activity cycle in which the sun's Antarctica and the Arctic magnetic field in a cycle of about 11 years.

"The solar storm is a source of magneticism that occurs on the solar surface." -At the NASA Goddado Space Flight Center, Space Meteorological scholar Joe Gurman explained:"We call this a solar activity area, or a black point. When the black point is large and aggie, it is evidence that the magnetic field has changed suddenly. When the magnetic field changes suddenly, that is the cause.It seems that solar activity is caused. Even if it is not a direct cause, it will be related to this. "

In medium to large solar flare, high -energy radiation (X -rays, ultraviolet rays) is radiated toward the earth.This kind of radiation is powerful, and electrons are blown away from atoms (identification).That happens when you reach the high -rise of the atmosphere, that is, the ionization layer (ionic layer).A huge electromagnetic pulse runs in the sky.

It is scary to hear, but BERGER says that even the largest flare does not have much effect on humans.

"The giant electromagnetic pulse disturbes the ionization layer and the ionization layer is expanding, but solar flare does not damage much to technology."

The only exception is radio waves.If the atmosphere is too charged, the radio waves between the earth and the satellite will be blocked.

"Sometimes radio communication occurs. Wireless is difficult to communicate over the horizon. The airplane that is passing over the polar land can only be interacted with the control tower with high -frequency radio waves that are transmitted to the ground.However, the obstacle is temporary, and it is a place from 10 minutes to the long time, even if it is a few hours. "

NASAが2012年3月6日に捉えたXクラスフレア。(c) NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center / Flickr

There is no way to predict the solar flare, and when it comes, it comes very fast, so I can't afford to make a prior warning from NOAA (only 8 minutes the sun rays reach the earth).。

"I can only give a warning if I observe the center. The airline is very wary of the effects of flare on high -frequency communication, so I decided to land in a really large event."(Director BERGER)

It doesn't seem to be able to do anything other than aviation officials.Let's look at the "Today's sun" sent from NASA's solar observation satellite SDO.

Charging particles, the electron and optical, reach the earth in a few minutes or a few hours later after the solar flare illuminates the sky.This pours the rain around the magnetic zone around the earth."I know that the rise in the radiation level is sometimes observed, and the particles are affecting the orbit of the earth."

(c)Adam Woodworth

Orbit satellites can be destroyed by a large -scale charged pulse pulse.Particle radiation is a major risk factor for astronauts."I'm worried about the high -energy particles of the International Space Station (ISS), and NASA is also a bigger problem if the era of space travel," said GURMAN of NASA.

However, this is not the case that you and I have to worry seriously because the sun's particle radiation can be relieved in the electromagnetic field and the atmosphere.This is the next one.

When flare rises in the sun, a tremendous large cloud of magnetic plasma is radiated into space.This is Corona mass release (CME).It is the slowest development in the sun and it takes 12 hours to several days to reach the earth.The dangerous level is the maximum.

Fortunately, the CME is sloppy, so the cosmic weather forecaster can do some forecasts to some extent.The images from SOHO and STEREO from the solar observation satellite will be analyzed sequentially, and if there is a large movement at the observation center, NOAA will respond immediately.

"If it is observed that the impact of what happened in the sun is going to the earth, a warning will be issued. In the event of a large CME, it is expected that a major incident will hit the earth directly, so call for alert."(Director Berger)

CME flies straight from the sun.If there is no earth in the straight orbit, it will be safe.That is enough.

Conversely, if the CME flies straight, the first touch down is the NASA solar observation satellite "ACE".The location is about 1 million miles (1.6 million km) from the earth (Japanese explanation) on the solar side (Japanese explanation).Passing there, in 30 minutes to 1 hour, the plasma clouds fall on the earth, the magnetic sphere is disturbed, and the magnetic storm is triggered.

It is at this stage that the power network begins to appear.

太陽風と地球磁気圏がぶつかる想像図 (c) ASA / Wikimedia

"This creates a huge current on the high -rise high -rise. Depending on how high the ground is conductive, a large amount of current is picked up by the ground and a large amount of current is provided.I don't know, the transmission network is not a specification that can handle a large amount of current coming from the ground. "(Director Berger).

The intensity of magnetic storms is represented by the DST index by taking the acronym for "Disturbance Storm Time".In other words, CME is disturbing the earth magnetic field.The normal magnetic storm is DST = -50 NT (nanotesla), which has only the effect of the aurora.The worst magnetic storm since the era of space development was a magnetic storm of March 1989, which brought a blackout in Quebec.DST = -600 NT.

This is the Calington event that hit the earth 156 years ago by a superstorm that blows off this magnetic storm.However, at this time, the electricity was hardly widespread, so the aurora shines so that I can read newspapers at midnight in the United States.If something of that size happens now, it's going to be impossible to read a blog.

The Calington event in September 1859 is due to the name of the British astronomer, Richard Callington.The person who observed the solar flare with his eyes.A few days after Calington witnessed, a powerful CME attacked the earth several times.There is something that is powerful or unimaginable because it says that the aurora can be seen in Cuba.The current was transmitted to the telegram network, the engineer was ignited by the engineer, and the telecommunications network was cut off in a wide range.In the current estimate, DST = -800 NT to -1750 NT.

キャリントン・イベント級の嵐が再び地球を襲った場合のシミュレーション。暗い。(c) NASA Earth Observatory

Right now, I rely on electricity as much as 156 years ago.As the director of BERGER says, there are countless electrical system technology that puts a base on the ground, such as a pipeline and transmission network.What happens if a carrinton -class event happens now?According to the US Academy of Science, it will affect almost every aspect of the world.

The terrestrial current derived to the earth with a large magnetic storm dissolves the copper wire of the transformer (transformer) in the distribution system and causes a large power outage.The current power line is connected to each other, so if a power outage occurs in one place, it may be more expanded.

4800 nT/m規模の地磁気じょう乱でリスクに晒される州別の変圧キャパシティ。高リスクが集中してる地域では停電が数年に及ぶ可能性もある (c) J. Keppenman, Metatech Corp

The confusion is hard to do with the tongue.The electricity disappears, of course.The net also falls.All electronic devices to charge are par.Municipalities with electric water supply (nowadays mostly) cannot be flowing toilets, and sewage treatments are also stopped.The heater and the air conditioner are just a box, and the damaged nama and chemicals are rotten.ATM is also youthless.There is no gasoline pump or one drop.Just living hell.

GPS is also done."The GPS system is a system that depends on the truly delicate timing of a signal that goes between two points such as spaceships and mobile phones, so if a large amount of high -energy particles appear in the atmosphere, GPS will be squid. GPS appears.I feel like I can't say anything if I return to the old aerial landing technology. "(Grunman)

There are some obstacles that involve the world's best yen, which is incapable of recovery for years."Because the whole earth magnetic field changes anyway. The impact is on the whole earth."

(c) Shutterstock

I can't imagine the social impact that the electrical eating mankind becomes off -grid.The economic damage is considerable.

According to a report in the US Science Academy, the total damage when the Calingon -class event occurs is estimated $ 2 trillion (¥ 243 trillion), 20 times the Great East Japan Earthquake.(16.9 trillion yen) is 14 times.

I think it's only a story about such a movie at the end of the century, but it's different.As I introduced in Giz, in July 2012, a huge CME was actually attacking the Earth Rado orbital.It happened to be a 9-day touch difference, but if you hit it directly, the power was the DST index -1200 NT in the NASA STEREO-A satellite observation record.It was a catastrophe to come back to the Calington event.

"If it was hit, it would have been overwhelmed after that," said Daniel Baker, a space meteorologist at Colorado University in 2014."How many more people have happened to make a mistake on the earth and remain on the detection system? I want to know that."

スマートな緩和策をつくらないと。テクノ-ポカリプスがくる前に (c) Shutterstock

The number of space meteorological observations has increased, and CME forecast technology has evolved significantly since 20 years ago.However, if the huge solar storm comes, it is almost the same as the space meteorologist in that humanity is unreasonable.However, there is a movement to change this.

The White House Science and Technology Bureau has set up a special measures headquarters to consider the occurrence of an estroom event.According to BERGER, a national cosmic weather strategy will be submitted in October, and the strategy will include the specific measures necessary for the United States to "prepare for an emergency."

The details of the strategy were that BERGER could not comment, so be aware of the autumn announcement.According to the director, the recommendation of the power company accounted for a large weight (at present, if the power company has a giant solar storm, it is taking measures to remove the distribution in a form to avoid the transformer.)

What can we do with the earthlings who can't sleep because they are worried about the weather in the universe?Well, it's the same as other disasters.Prepare an emergency evacuation set, talk with your family and friends about the means of checking your safety when the phone is broken, and keep the gasoline at least half of it, buy a spare battery, a solar generator, and a hand -turned charger.The data is backed up, and I bought several bars for caution ... I'm sorry, it was a zombie movie.

Well, let's survive the latest solar storm warning at the NOAA Space Weather Forecast Center and survive one day a day.

ERUPTIVE EVENT IN JULY 2012: Defining Extreme Space Weather Scenarios, "SEVERE SPACE WEATHER EVENTS: Understanding The Societal and Economic Impacts"

Maddie Stone -Gizmodo US [Original text]