The most reliable testimony we have is more than 10,000 years old and is irrefutable. About 13,000 years ago, the Sun issued a huge radiation that bombarded the earth and left its mark on the old tree rings. Little was known about this storm until a team of scientists analyzed their footprints in Arctic ice. That solar storm was the most powerful ever recorded: According to the authors of the study, 50 times more powerful than that registered in 1839 and known as the Carrington event, which is in second place. In this way, the question is what would happen if a solar storm of this magnitude would reach the earth?
Today, while we approach the maximum solar of this year, a period of solar activity that occurs every 11 years, Scientists want to prepare governments for the effects of severe solar storms.
In May 2024, the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) by Johns Hopkins summoned experts to A practical exercise designed to test the preparations for government agencies before a solar storm of extreme magnitude. Solar physicists, space agencies, satellite operators, owners of electrical networks and many others have long known the effects of space climate on advanced technologies. The exercise incorporated the interested parties of all levels of government and industry to improve our preparation against spatial weather events.
When a geomagnetic storm whips the earth, several events occur. The solar wind transports particles loaded with the sun. These impact our magnetosphere and are trapped in lines of magnetic force, which produces a beautiful show of northern and southern lights. A especially strong storm will cause, among other things, terrestrial currents that can short -circuit electrical networks and interrupt terrestrial communications.
An intense episode of space climate can interfere with (or even destroy) satellites, threaten astronauts in space, interrupt radio communications and degrade GPS performance. This affects the navigation of trains, airplanes, ships and cars and mobile phone networks. Any of these interruptions can drastically affect everyday activities such as transferring money, using internet, making calls and much more. In other words, much of our modern technology is at risk during spatial meteorological events.
For example, in March 1989, a powerful solar eruption triggered a solar storm that caused a blackout in eastern Canada and This was 500 times less powerful than the one that occurred 13,000 years ago. Thanks to the lessons learned in previous events, the operators of electrical networks and satellites (among others) are now better prepared. However, it is necessary to intensify efforts to provide early alerts so that governments, companies and individuals can be prepared. This is where the practical exercise in APL is useful.
How prepared are we for an intense space climate? The understanding and predictions of the space climate have advanced a lot since the beginning of the space era and the deployment of solar observation satellite missions. We receive more early alerts of bursts, and past events They have taught usñado to reinforce our technologyYoas against geomagn stormsandTicas. However, aorn There are deficiencies in preparationeitherNY response of agencies and governments to such events.
The work of experts has revealed the necessary steps to respond to spatial meteorology. “This exercise brought together experts in spatial meteorology with those responsible for emergency management, response and recovery -explained Ian Cohen, scientific director of the exercise appliedSto helped scientists not only to raise awareness of these leaders, but also to highlight the main deficiencies in research and observationas well as to learn to better communicate the complex issues of the space climate to those responsible for decision -making. ”
The final results show that Our preparation is better than in the past, but there are still crucial needs to meet. Among them is a better coordination between agencies and other interested parties to generate significant and understandable spatial weather notifications that describe the impacts on various infrastructure.
It is necessary that all governments participate in said coordination and communication between agencies (for example, between NASA, ESA and NOAA, or NOAA and security agencies). In addition, improvements in forecasts and early alert are needed, together with greater public education on the effects of space storms and how governments and institutions manage the consequences of these storms.