2024-05-10 19:09:00
A rare solar storm is approaching Earth and could disrupt electrical networks and satellites as early as Friday afternoon, but also the spectacular northern lights, American authorities have warned.
“We are almost certain that a series of coronal mass ejections, which are explosions of energetic particles and magnetic fields from the sun, are directed towards the Earth,” explained Shawn Dahl at a press conference, from the US Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) . .
A warning notice has been issued for a level 4 geomagnetic storm, on a scale of 5, — something that has not been done since 2005. The exact start time of the event is difficult to predict, but it should continue throughout the weekend.
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“Infrastructure could be affected,” Shawn Dahl said, noting it was a “rare” event. “We have notified all the operators we work with, such as satellite, communications and of course the power grid operators in North America,” he said. The Sun is currently near its peak activity, following a cycle that returns every 11 years.
These coronal mass ejections originate from a sunspot about 16 times the diameter of Earth, at least seven of which are currently heading towards Earth. They move at several hundred kilometers per second.
When they reach American satellites located about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, the intensity of the event can be predicted better – between 20 and 45 minutes before it arrives, said Shawn Dahl.
Northern Lights
He advised residents to equip themselves with batteries or potential generators, as with any other storm warning. But electricity operators have been working for a decade to better protect their networks, said Rob Steenburgh, a scientist at SWPC. The effects can only occur on high voltage lines, not in private homes, and there are systems comparable to circuit breakers, for example. GPS signals could also be affected, he said.
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Regarding air traffic, the American Civil Aviation Agency (FAA) said “do not expect significant consequences”. The event should, however, generate northern lights, including in regions where they are not typical. SWPC officials did not want to comment on the size of the area that may be affected but suggested that residents get out and take photos.
“If you’re somewhere where it’s dark, cloudless and with little light pollution, you might see an aurora borealis quite impressively,” Steenburgh said. “And that’s really the gift of space weather.”
sunny weather
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