Massive solar storm to hit Earth in 2012 with
'force of 100m bombs'
Thu, Aug 26 12:50 PM
Melbourne, Aug 26 (ANI): Astronomers are
predicting that a massive solar storm, much bigger
in potential than the one that caused spectacular
light shows on Earth earlier this month, is to
strike our planet in 2012 with a force of 100
million hydrogen bombs.
Several US media outlets have reported that NASA
was warning the massive flare this month was just
a precursor to a massive solar storm building that
had the potential to wipe out the entire planet's
power grid.
Despite its rebuttal, NASA's been watching out for
this storm since 2006 and reports from the US this
week claim the storms could hit on that most
Hollywood of disaster dates - 2012.
Similar storms back in 1859 and 1921 caused
worldwide chaos, wiping out telegraph wires on a
massive scale. The 2012 storm has the potential to
be even more disruptive.
"The general consensus among general astronomers
(and certainly solar astronomers) is that this
coming Solar maximum (2012 but possibly later into
2013) will be the most violent in 100 years,"
News.com.au quoted astronomy lecturer and
columnist Dave Reneke as saying.
"A bold statement and one taken seriously by those
it will affect most, namely airline companies,
communications companies and anyone working with
modern GPS systems.
"They can even trip circuit breakers and knock out
orbiting satellites, as has already been done this
year," added Reneke.
No one really knows what effect the 2012-2013
Solar Max will have on today's digital-reliant
society.
Dr Richard Fisher, director of NASA's Heliophysics
division, told Reneke the super storm would hit
like "a bolt of lightning", causing catastrophic
consequences for the world's health, emergency
services and national security unless precautions
are taken.
NASA said that a recent report by the National
Academy of Sciences found that if a similar storm
occurred today, it could cause "1 to 2 trillion
dollars in damages to society's high-tech
infrastructure and require four to 10 years for
complete recovery".
The reason for the concern comes as the sun enters
a phase known as Solar Cycle 24.
Most experts agree, although those who put the
date of Solar Max in 2012 are getting the most
press.
They claim satellites will be aged by 50 years,
rendering GPS even more useless than ever, and the
blast will have the equivalent energy of 100
million hydrogen bombs.
"We know it is coming but we don't know how bad it
is going to be," Fisher told Reneke.
"Systems will just not work. The flares change the
magnetic field on the Earth and it's rapid, just
like a lightning bolt. That's the solar effect,"
he added.
The findings are published in the most recent
issue of Australasian Science. (ANI)
