I know that if a solar storm of the magnitude of the one that hit the earth in the late 1900s (1859 IIRC) hit us today, our global power grid would probably be nearly destroyed, and may require as long as a decade to fully recover. With that possibility in mind, what effect would such a solar storm have on a home with its own solar power system, one that’s capable of fully powering the home off the grid. Does anyone have any expertise in this area, and what should people living off the grid expect following a major solar storm? I’m just wondering,
The 11 year cycle is clearly evident, but I can not see anything special in 1859?
I know sunspot numbers are not exactly solar storm activity, but they are related, I think?
Yes I found this
" More sunspots mean increased solar activity, when great blooms of radiation known as solar flares or bursts of solar material known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) shoot off the sun’s surface. "
I don’t think so, but I do think we’re missing an important metric - the size of the sun spots during each 11-year peak. I suspect that larger sun spots will inevitably produce larger CMS. Do you agree?
“The Carrington Event was the most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history, peaking on 1–2 September 1859 during solar cycle 10. It created strong auroral displays that were reported globally and caused sparking and even fires in telegraph stations.[1] The geomagnetic storm was most likely the result of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun colliding with Earth’s magnetosphere.[2]”
What would something like that do in today’s environment?
That’s why I’m asking about solar powered homes, running off the grid in relation to CMEs. The Carrington Event provides evidence that such powerful catastrophes can occur. What we all need to know is whether setting up our homes with solar power that can provide enough energy so our homes don’t have to depend on the grid can mitigate the issue, and if so, why aren’t food storage facilities and stores not making the move to solar now, rather that when it’s too late. If home-style solar energy is as susceptible to the dangers of CMEs as the grid appears to be, all this is a moot question, but I think it’s still one worth asking.
They are in Australia, but not for that reason. It is sheer economics. Solar for cooling makes sense because most of tbe cooling is needed when the sun shines.
I dont think we ever plan for long term risk events.
There is a book “Ice” by Fred Hoyle … about the risk of encountering another ice age and what we should do to minimize the chance of us all freezing to death.
Noone ever proposed acting on it.
That’s why one of my questions here is why we’re not recording/evaluating the size/intensity of sunspots and their CME ejections in correlation with the 11-year sun spot activity peaking cycle, in addition to their frequency.
When I hear the term Sunspot Activity Cycle, I see it as starting at a point in time when the frequency/activity of CME ejecting sunspots is high (a lot of CME ejecting sunspots in a short period of time), then dropping off to some low point (fewer to no CME ejecting sunspots in a similar period of time), and increasing back to a high point, where a new cycle begins. I never hear scientists discuss the size of the ejections in relation to the 11-year activity cycle, the percentage of CME ejections that affect the earth, or if there are other known cycles for those types of events/information. If such cycles haven’t been found, perhaps that’s something the scientists should be looking into.
I guess I have a lot of questions, and not enough answers,
I was just reading about the reversal of the magnetic poles about 40k years ago…
Was that the Carrington Event?
Kauri pines (fossilized) in New Zealand recorded the pole reversal…
What most people may not know - if that happens - the magnetic field of the earth doesn’t keep the vast amounts of gamma radiation at the poles… So whole swathes of the planet would have been bathed in the shit…
I have a science fiction “universe” (i.e. still on Earth - and in Australia) I was working on, where at some point the poles get or got reversed - and - using a simple compass - the sun now sets in the magnetic East, and rises in the West… Putting “downunder” on top - and it’s after massive flooding and rises in sea level… I can’t vouch for my world building skills - but - I’ve done that countless times - come up with a “universe” or a world, and never found a story to tell (the muse never arrives).
No the Carrington event was 1859… a solar storm
I had a read on magnetic pole reversals… we dont seem to know a cause… they are random.
The strength of the magnetic field at the moment is weakening… that is we are working toward a reversal.
@callpaul.eu, thank you for that article. The potential for catastrophic geomagnetic events is very concerning, but with knowledge, we can find ways to mitigate, or even overcome their effects, and this item provides a wealth of information!
If I understand the effects of a Pole Reversal correctly, one of those could cause an extinction level event. Other than leaving our planet, at least temporarily, and taking samples of all the resources we’ll need following our return, I’m not sure how much mankind can do to mitigate the effects of one of those.
Geomagnetic pole reversals have happened throughout Earth’s history. The last one occurred 780,000 years ago. Though they sound scary, pole flips can take a long time to occur and pose no immediate threat
Yet another
reversal of the poles probably doesn’t necessarily spell certain doom for humanity: There’s no evidence that past flips of the magnetic field caused mass extinctions or other catastrophes.
Except for birds who use the poles for navigation, except every year they move magnetic north but only by a few degrees.
Better buy a new compass
And just in case download the internet and make a backup.
- and it’s after massive flooding and rises in sea level… I can’t vouch for my world building skills - but - I’ve done that countless times - come up with a “universe” or a world, and never found a story to tell (the muse never arrives).
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