Largest solar storm in five years to hit Earth on Thursday
Scientists have announced that the strongest geomagnetic storm in six years will hit Earth's magnetic field on Thursday, which can cause communication problems.
According to the US Space Weather Prediction Center, the storm could affect power grids, airplane routes and space-based satellite navigation systems.
The solar storm, more intense than a similar one in late January, is a big cloud of charged particles released from a pair of solar flares at about 7.2 million kilometers per hour.
The two solar flares first reached Earth late on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the solar radiation hit Earth’s magnetic field with possible impact on air traffic and satellites.
At the last stage, the plasma sent by the coronal mass ejection is expected to arrive at Earth on Thursday, which can disrupt satellites as well as oil pipelines and high-accuracy GPS systems used by oil drillers, surveyors and some agricultural operations.
Solar flares are caused by the sudden release of magnetic energy stored in the Sun's atmosphere, which then releases the charged particles into space in an event called a coronal mass ejection (CME).
Geomagnetic storms can also trigger dramatic aurora displays, which are also known as the northern and southern lights.
After being quiet between 2005 and 2010, the Sun became active in 2011, spouting off numerous powerful flares and CMEs.
Most experts expect such outbursts to continue over the next few years. Solar activity waxes and wanes on an 11-year cycle. Scientists think the current one, which is known as solar Cycle 24, will peak in 2013.
Source: presstv.ir
