Nasa warns we’ll have 30 minutes before mega solar storm hits Earth wiping out electronics across half of globe
NASA has been working on a warning system to notify us before a solar storm hits Earth.
Using AI technology, Nasa has been trying to gather data on solar storms, according to one study.
The space agency has been working on this to develop an early warning system that could give Earth a 30-minute notice before a storm hits.
Dubbed DAGGER, the AI could help us predict when a solar storm forms by looking at data provided by satellites.
Plenty of satellites are constantly observing our sun, including the ACE, Wind, IMP-8, and Geotail.
A solar storm is a term used by astronomers to describe eruptions of electromagnetic radiation that happen in the Sun’s atmosphere in the forms of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
The phenomenon occurs when accelerated charged particles (mainly electrons) collide with the plasma medium.
CMEs are a type of solar flare and can cause a geomagnetic storm when they come into contact with the Earth’s magnetic field.
Geomagnetic storms are defined as “a disturbance of Earth’s magnetosphere that occurs when there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding Earth,” per NOAA.
While these solar flares cannot travel far enough to hurt humans here on Earth, they can cause major blackouts and other electricity-related disruptions.
Sometimes they even cause auroral displays, also known as the Northern Lights.
This was the case during the Carrington Event of 1859 – one of the most powerful solar storms in recorded history.
It occurred on September 1-2, 1859, and was so intense, it created strong auroral displays around the globe.
The Carrington Event also caused sparking and fire in several telegraph systems.
To prevent this from happening again, Nasa and other space agencies have been observing the sun for years.
With the help of DAGGER, it seems scientists may finally be able to make some strides in predicting (and maybe one day preventing) solar storms from affecting our electrical grids.