SOLAR STORM AND YOU...

Biggest Flare ever known. 

November 4th 2003 saw the most powerful Solar flare eruption (see animation below) on record. This measured a colossal X 28 on the Solar Richter scale. For those unaquainted with the magnitude of Solar Flares it may be difficult to comprehend the extreme force of such an explosion which is the largest ever recorded in the Solar System. 

Like earthquake of 25 on the Richter scale.

Although the two scales cannot be satisfactorily compared this explosion if transferred to the earthquake scale would be something like an earthquake of around 15 on the Richter scale. In other words an out of category event the like of which has never been seen or experienced. 

    Not entirely Earth directed.

Fortunately for our planet most of the debris from the explosion was not entirely Earth directed but a glancing blow from the flare did bring displays of the Northern Lights several days later. However this is nothing to what would have happened if the flare had been targeted directly towards Earth. What is certain is that this particular Solar explosion broke all records and is an event without precedence in living memory

        October cluster.

This spate of extreme Solar activity began towards the end of October 2003 with a series of massive Solar eruptions. The largest of these measured X 18 on the Solar flare scale ( see pic below) A cluster of other X flare explosions within a matter of days made this one of the greatest periods of Solar activity on record. However this was nothing compared to the November explosion which is the biggest and most violent event the Solar System has produced within recorded memory. 

                                      

  Effects.

The precise effects of this solar bombardment are hard to determine. The short term aftermath usually involves disruption of all forms of electronic communication with a severe threat to all space satellites and telecommunications. Long term the effects are not easy to categorise but we believe these include highly disturbed weather patterns with a greatly increased risk of earthquakes and volcanic eruption in vulnerable locations.

    Physical emotional and social consequences.

Eruptions of this nature are also sure to have intense medical and emotional consequences. Some time ago, a Russian study confirmed that Solar eruptions do result in a greatly increased incidence of strokes and heart attacks. Emotionally the effects are of widely fluctuating feelings that at worst can result in broken relationships, despair and depression. On a larger scale our research clearly shows that Solar activity has the potential to trigger general social unrest even to the point of inciting wars, riots, revolutions, and a deteriorating state of International harmony. 

                            Major risk.

But could a Solar flare actually destroy all life on the Earth. Unfortunately the answer is yes. Although the Sun is remarkably stable it does go through phases of increased activity. We are currently exiting one such phase where Solar activity was again at the peak of its 11 year cycle. What is remarkable about the October 2003 activity is that it sprung from a period when the Sun was expected to be relatively calm. This shows how little we know about the Sun and experts warn that a lethal flare explosion could conceivably erupt at any moment. The fact that one has not done so for many thousands of years is reassuring, but offers no comfort for long term security. Perhaps the most sobering realisation of all is that there is absolutely nothing we could do to stop such a flare.

          The causes.

But just what causes Solar flares? Here we still have a lot to learn, but from our very own research we at NASCA believe major Solar flares are directly linked to other celestial phenomenon such as planetary alignments. For instance this current spate of Solar activity has occurred at a time when the Sun is ringed with aligned planets. To us this is not a coincidence, and it is our belief that once these aligning planets disperse to less influential positions then Solar activity will once again return to normal levels. The risk remains however that perhaps one day an alignment will arise capable of triggering a Solar Armaggeddon against which we shall have no defence at all.

WHAT IS SOLAR STORM...

A solar storm is an event in which activity on the Sun interferes with the Earth's magnetic field. Because the Sun is so far away, many people believe that solar storms are not capable of causing very much damage, but they can in fact be quite devastating. Research in the early 2000s created a number of potential worst case scenarios which illustrated the destructive power of solar storms, including scenarios showing that powerful nations in the developed world could be brought to their knees for a decade or more by a storm of large magnitude.

Solar storms occur as a result of events such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These events generate a so-called “solar wind,” a gust of charged particles which can slam into the Earth's magnetic field in hours if the solar wind happens to be traveling in the direction of Earth. The collision can generate quite a light show as a geomagnetic storm erupts, and the storm can last for several days under the right conditions.

A solar storm can also involve the introduction of tremendous amounts of radiation, which is dangerous for many living organisms. The disruption of the Earth's magnetic field can also be damaging for some organisms. Some animals, for example, appear to be sensitive to magnetic fields and they could become disoriented in a solar storm.