What did Big Bear Observatory record in 1972?
What did Big Bear Observatory record in 1972?
Solar storm of August 1972
| The “seahorse flare”, an intense two-ribbon solar flare, erupting from active region McMath 11976 on 7 August 1972 as recorded by the Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) | |
|---|---|
| Damage | Satellite wear and imaging errors; detonation of magnetic-influence sea mines near Haiphong, North Vietnam |
What was the worst solar storm ever?
The Carrington Event was a powerful geomagnetic storm on 1–2 September 1859, during solar cycle 10 (1855–1867). A solar coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth’s magnetosphere and induced the largest geomagnetic storm on record.
Could a solar flare destroy Earth?
Not really. While electromagnetic fluctuations from solar flares can disrupt satellites, interrupt power grids, or jam communication equipment, “there simply isn’t enough energy in the sun to send a killer fireball 93 million miles to destroy Earth,” says NASA.
What is the sun’s sunspot?
Sunspots are areas where the magnetic field is about 2,500 times stronger than Earth’s, much higher than anywhere else on the Sun. The sunspots appear relatively dark because the surrounding surface of the Sun (the photosphere) is about 10,000 degrees F., while the umbra is about 6,300 degrees F.
What happens during a geomagnetic storm?
When a CME strikes Earth’s atmosphere, it causes temporary disturbances of the planet’s magnetic field, called geomagnetic storms. These storms could affect power grids, blacking out entire cities, impeding radio communications and GPS navigation. They could even disrupt satellites in orbit.
What happens every 11 years on the sun?
What is the solar cycle? The solar cycle is an approximately 11-year cycle experienced by the Sun. During the solar cycle, the Sun’s stormy behavior builds to a maximum, and its magnetic field reverses. Then, the Sun settles back down to a minimum before another cycle begins.
What will happen if a solar flare hits Earth?
If the ejection is in the direction of the Earth, particles associated with this disturbance can penetrate into the upper atmosphere (the ionosphere) and cause bright auroras, and may even disrupt long range radio communication. It usually takes days for the solar plasma ejecta to reach Earth.
Could a solar flare destroy the ozone layer?
The worst of these energetic bursts of ultraviolet radiation and high-energy charged particles could destroy our ozone layer, cause DNA mutations and disrupt ecosystems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCwp9LMw-rU