Washington (DC) - The National Academy of Sciences, under direction by NASA, has concluded the first economic data study on solar activity and the Earth. The report quantifies the effects fluctuations in the Sun's magnetic field have on our planet and is looking for ways to prevent damage from this "extreme space weather."


NASA reports that extreme solar eruptions can have "severe consequences for communications, power grids and other technology on Earth." While these effects have been known for decades, especially in very long power lines, NASA is now looking for ways to mitigate their effects.

Richard Fisher, director of the Heliophysics division at NASA, said, "To mitigate possible public safety issues, it is vital that we better understand extreme space weather events caused by the sun's activity."

Solar flares not only emit a continuous stream of plasma, called a "solar wind," but also release literally billions of tons of mass. This "coronal mass ejection" results in immense clouds of material which, if directed toward the Earth's location, cause large magnetic storms in the magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. These events can affect both space-borne and ground-based technologies.

Some effects of this space weather are currents induced in wires and energetic particles which temporarily displace Earth's radiation belt. Currents can disrupt power lines and have been known to even create wide-spread blackouts in power grids and communication errors on high speed pathways across the Internet. The effects of solar flares have even been observed as far back as the 19th century, following the invention of the telegraph.

NASA's concerns are over a similar catastrophic failure occurring in the government's infrastructure in space or on the ground. They are focusing on preventative measures.

Daniel Baker, professor and director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder, who also chaired the panel that prepared the report, said, "Whether it is terrestrial catastrophes or extreme space weather incidents, the results can be devastating to modern societies that depend in a myriad of ways on advanced technological systems."

The sun's solar cycle is known to be an 11-year cycle. Right now, the sun is near it's minimum amount of solar activity. NASA expects solar storms will increase in frequency and intensity between now and 2012, when it will again reach its "solar maximum."


Funding

Funding for this report was provided for by The Heliophysics Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, DC. This specific division of NASA seeks to "understand the sun, its solar processes and the interaction of solar plasma and radiation with Earth, other planets and the universe." The National Academies (including the National Academy of Sciences) are chartered by an act of Congress, and provide "independent technical and scientific advice to the federal government."

Oh no

Jan 06, 2009 12:55     

The Mayan's are correct. Its the end of the world. ["...as we know it... and I feel fine." -Rick]
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Earth Changes Based on Mayan Prophecies

Jan 08, 2009 03:43     

a) 2012 - Holes in Earth's Magnetic Cloak Let the Sun in: http://cristiannegureanu.blogs...-let.html b) NASA: Solar Storm Warning, Total Solar Eclipse of 2012: http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2008/11/nasa-solar-storm-warning-total-solar.html c) Earth Changes Based on Mayan Prophecies: http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2008/12/earth-changes-based-on-mayan-prophecies.html d) 2012, Hollywood, The Pentagon and NASA: 'When Worlds Collide': http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2009/01/hollywood-pentagon-and-nasa-when-worlds.html

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12 21 12

Jan 14, 2009 15:43     

"The Mayan's are correct. Its the end of the world. ["...as we know it... and I feel fine." -Rick] " Let me say this straight on........... ITS NOT THE FREAKIN END OF THE WORLD, ITS JUST AN APOCLTPSE. THE ONLY REASON WHY THOSE STUPID MAYANS THOUGHT THIS WAS THAT THEIR DUMBASS PYRAMID IS GOING TO LIGHT UP A SERPENT IN A STRANGE WAY. ITS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD,,,,, GET REAL!
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A lie over the truth.

Mar 28, 2009 14:14     

I want to acknowledge the fact that what I'm basing this is more on MOVIES than actual events in human history. But then, movies ARE an art form, and art inmates life. So my question is, would the government,or governments of the world, lie to the populous about a major disaster that would mean the end of everything? You'd probably wonder why I would think of this, well this is why- Movies show humans almost always panicking, chaos and looting in the face of a major disaster. In reality, people have done the same thing (1989 earthquake of San Francisco). My question looks into the idea, that if there was a 'end-of-the-world, no way to save us' type disaster about to happen, wouldn't the government lie to us just to make sure that total chaos didn't take over? If the sun was to collapse into a black hole, go supernova or (as seen in the movie KNOWING) produce a large enough solar flare to just burn away our ozone and oxygen layer, would the government TELL us this is going to happen? Maybe a percentage of the human race would fall on their knees, pray and plea and beg whatever God or Gods they believe in to spare them, while the rest of the world steal, rape, kill, slaughter and destroy everything around them. After all, if we're going to die tomorrow, might as well live today.

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