In general, the physical danger is low and controllable. The biological hazard inherent in solar and geomagnetic storms comes from the exposure to radiation, which is mainly a concern for astronauts and people flying at high altitudes, according to NOAA's ranking of storm severity.
On the other hand, the disruptions that more severe storms can cause have the potential to bring about real damage. Milder storms may disrupt the satellites that handle GPS communications. But the more severe geomagnetic storms can spike the voltage in transmission lines which could damage grid transformers and potentially knock power out. A massive power outage in the province of Quebec in 1989 was blamed on a solar storm.
Today's storm is predicted to reach G3, which is a strong level. The solar radiation is at S3, also strong, and there was a strong-level radio blackout. NOAA this morning noted that "so far the orientation of the magnetic field has been opposite of what is needed to cause the strongest storming."
So... neat but probably not very destructive. I was hoping for a minute that perhaps it might disrupt New Orleans' infamous traffic camera system. But apparently it is impervious to sunlight.
No comments:
Post a Comment