Massive space storm hits Earth
May 16, 2005 16: 48 EST
Two weeks ago, Exweb advised sky watchers in Alaska and Canada to be on alert for auroras caused by an M-Class solar flare. But that medium-sized flare was nothing compared to today’s warning from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The NOAA observed a geomagnetic storm on Sunday, May 15, which they classified as an extreme event, measuring G-5—the highest level—on the NOAA Space Weather Scales.
Level 9 storm
"This event registered a 9 on the K-Index, which measures the maximum deviation of the Earth's magnetic field in a given three-hour period," said Gayle Nelson, lead operations specialist at NOAA Space Environment Center. "The scale ranges from 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest. This was a significant event."
Widespread power system problems
Possible impacts from such a geomagnetic storm include widespread power system voltage control problems; some grid systems may experience complete collapse or blackouts. Transformers may experience damage. Spacecraft operations may experience extensive surface charging; problems with orientation; uplink/downlink and tracking satellites. Satellite navigation may be degraded for days, and low-frequency radio navigation can be out for hours.
Reports received by the NOAA Space Environment Center indicate that such impacts have been observed in the United States.
This event was forecast by NOAA as the result of a solar flare that occurred on Friday, May 13.
The NOAA Space Environment Center, one of the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction, is home to the nation's early warning system for solar activities that directly affect people and equipment on Earth and in space.
More than four years after solar maximum, there's one big sun spot transiting the solar disk now, alerts SpaceWeather.com. Since it appeared on April 25th, sunspot 756 has tripled in size. It's now about five times wider than Earth and very dynamic.
On November 4, 2003 expeditions’ communications started going haywire – from Everest to the Atlantic. That flare "was more than twice as big as the previous record flare," according to the scientists. So big that sensors on satellites were getting over-loaded, like if you were to weigh an elephant on a bathroom scale.
Image courtesy of SOHO.
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