As they prepare for a cloud of charged particles from the Sun to "sideswipe" the Earth, forecasters have warned that a solar storm might occur this week.
If coronal mass ejections (CMEs) strike Earth directly, they may cause chaos, briefly affecting GPS navigation, satellite communications, and electrical systems. Experts believe there's no need to be concerned because this one isn't directed directly at us.
CME Might Hit Earth Real Quick
According to Express, a plasma and magnetic field coronal mass ejection (CME) is ejected from the Sun and might impact this week.
A massive magnetic filament snagged from the Sun's lower region, propelling the CME towards Earth on Monday.
According to the US Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), CMEs may travel at speeds ranging from 560,000 mph to more than 6.7 million mph.
The fastest CMEs might reach Earth in as little as 15 to 18 hours at these extraordinarily high velocities. Slower CMEs, according to the SWPC, might take several days to arrive.
CMEs expand in size as they move away from the Sun, and larger ones might traverse more than a fifth of the space between Earth and the Sun when they reach our planet.
The majority of the CME's route is projected to lie south of our planet, with a near-miss or glancing collision on Friday as a possibility. The more powerful a CME, the more severe the geomagnetic storms that occur all across the planet. Scientists have classified these storms as "G1 Minor" to "G5 Extreme."
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Nothing to Worry About
As of Wednesday evening, the SWPC's three-day forecast said no geomagnetic turbulence is predicted around the Earth.
There will be no G1 (Minor) or higher geomagnetic storms, according to forecasts obtained by Brinkwire. There will be no notable transitory or recurrent features in the solar wind.
They also said no R1 (Minor) or higher radio blackouts would occur. Big active area flare activity isn't expected, according to forecasts.
A solar storm will not physically harm humans. It will just turn off all power. There will be no electricity, radios, electronics, or anything else.
Geomagnetic Storm Explained
The SWPC (via Tech Register) said a geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere that occurs when solar wind energy is efficiently transported into the space environment around the planet.
Storms are triggered by variations in the solar wind, which modify the current flow, plasmas, and fields of the magnetosphere drastically.
Even if a tiny solar storm is insignificant, it can disrupt electricity grids and interfere with satellite operations.
The most visible result is the appearance of auroras in the polar circles - Aurora Borealis in the north and Aurora Australis in the south.
On the other hand, extreme storms may bring down entire electrical networks, disrupt communication, and even cause auroras to shine as far south as Texas and Florida.
NBC News said the sun is presently in a high-activity phase of its 11-year solar weather cycle, with peak activity projected later this year. The current cycle began in 2008 and is known as Solar Cycle 24.
Since their discovery in 1843, scientists have been following sunspots, solar flares, and other space weather occurrences. Today, a multinational network of spacecraft monitors the sun's activities in real-time.
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