Have you ever imagined being totally disconnected for a few hours? Or for a few months? This is exactly what could happen next year.
One solar flare imminent threat could result in significant disruptions to global internet connectivity by 2024.
This prediction was made by Peter Becker, a scientist at George Mason University, located in Virginia, United States. Becker is recognized for developing a system capable of identifying solar activity.
According to the expert’s perspective, the population is experiencing a period of dependence on Internet larger than ever, which would pose a serious issue in the event of a complete failure.
“The internet came of age at a time when the sun was relatively calm, and now it is entering a more active time,” says Becker.
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Growing concerns
The professor expresses concern about the possibility of coronal mass ejections (CME) — which are huge explosions of ionized gas at high temperatures — impacting the Earth and causing changes in the magnetic field of our planet.
To prevent this danger, the researcher is involved in a project in partnership with the Naval Research Laboratory and George Mason University, with the aim of creating a warning system.
“If we have a warning, every minute counts, as we can put the satellites in safe mode. Therefore, there are measures we can take to mitigate the problem.”
The emission of solar coronal mass, according to the researcher, can continue on a spatial trajectory; however, if its direction turns toward the Earthlocal detectors will have a period of 18 to 24 hours to identify the particles before they affect the magnetic field.
Other infrastructures vital to society, such as the electrical grid, fiber optic connections and GPS and satellite communication systems, are also at risk of being affected by this event.
Should we fear a solar storm?
When the term “solar storm” comes up, it’s common to feel a shiver down your spine, after all, the name may seem intimidating, right? However, this phenomenon is much more common than you might think.
This type of solar coronal ejection occurs periodically on the Sun. One of the most recent events occurred in February this year, when a probe from NASA recorded more than 28 CMEs.
On this occasion, the solar flare targeted Earth, but did not result in damage to communication systems.
However, the northern lights were more intense and colorful, having been observed in Idaho and New York, in the United States.
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