2012 Sun storm to hit with 'force of 100m bombs'

By Hum
in Back Page News

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Grand Master

Teebor

Posted
Posted

Repent REPENT now, play the Bible MMO and repent your sins :woot:

On a more serious note, I see a lot of evidence for this Solar Activity and the chance it will knock out satellites but I don't buy in to the end of the world crap that the media seem so intent on stirring up along with this, Sure there will be disruption to computer systems of which I am sure has happened already in my lifetime to power companies or at least it was hyped up by news agencies to look that way at the time.

But I'm sure we will deal with it like we do everything else and get on with our lives when it is over

Mentor

wellofsouls

Posted
Posted

40 to 50 year cycle eh?

So when this happened about 50 years ago the planet and humanity are still alive

50 years ago humanity was not depending on computers and internet, or cellphones, or mp3 players, etc. etc.

Last time the telegraph lines were the main victim, now imagine suddenly all the internet lines, computers, cellphones, mp3 players, etc. burst into fire.

No it won't be the end of humanity, but I'd miss the internet, my games, my mp3 collection, and neowin if that happens :p

Experienced

Nihilus

Posted
Posted

Is it possible to calculate with any certainty when specifically solar storms will occur as the big date approaches? Just saying "2012 and maybe 2013" is kinda vague, and we need time to prepare.

No, it's just a rough guess. I think the warning times for a specific event are a little bit under an hour.

Grand Master

Joseph B

Posted
Posted

Nooo... I can't lose my mobile phone... But as long as electronic devices such as games consoles work... And the internet stays up, I'm not that worried.

How do you think they stay up? I can't believe the complete lack of knowledge that is being suggested in this thread.

Grand Master

shakey

Posted
Posted

Because you don't get much warning.

Does it really matter if it is on or not? This isn't like water. I have no real knowledge about sun flares and the damage they can cause. But I have had a power surge through a cable modem and through the lan lines, while both computers were off, which caused both lan cards on both computers to fry. Luckily nothing else happened. Was still quite a surprise that it happened that way.

At least that was my theory. I mean, during a thunderstorm, is it likely that the only things to go out would be 2 computers, in 2 separate rooms, to both blow lan cards out, while no breakers being blown on the breaker box, but for a current to go through the lan cords in the router/modem?

Grand Master

zhangm Supervisor

Posted
  • Supervisor
Posted

Not bad, why not just turn the electronics off until the storm passes (that is if it's as bad as they say)?

This is just my guess, but for certain electronics, it doesn't matter whether they are powered or not.

Any burst of highly energetic particles can distort the earth's magnetosphere, basically creating a massive moving magnetic field. A moving magnetic field can induce current to flow in electronic circuits. A sufficiently larger perturbation in the magnetosphere can create enough current to melt down components of a power grid, or spark fires in unshielded electronics. While solar storms have taken out electrical grids and telegraph communications in the past, they have never posed a large problem due to the lack of electronics in use.

At this point, if we got hit by a powerful solar storm (and it doesn't even need to be the most powerful one in recent human history), things will fry and burn, and the most developed countries will, ironically, suffer the most.

I don't think that smaller devices such as mobile phones or pacemakers would be subject to damage from an induced electrical current, but devices hooked to a large distributed network of conductive material would pick up a significant amount of energy. Things like railroads, pipelines, power lines, bridges, and other thick conductive cables, and anything connected to them, like your computer, could be spiked by something like 2000 V or more.

Grand Master

Growled Member

Posted
  • Member
Posted

Serious question? If so yes.

Serious question....not completely. I am a tech guy and I understand how important tech is in today's world. On the flip side, our grandparents made it without tech and for the most part so could we. Not that I would want to, mind you.

Mentor

thefonz

Posted
Posted

To be fair, we are so dependent on electornics and the network of satellites in orbit - we have zero control over what happens around the planet.

Best thing to do is grab a pair of sunnies, sit outside with a cold beer and watch the show.

Oh, and limit air-travel (natch).

Experienced

Nihilus

Posted
Posted

Does it really matter if it is on or not? This isn't like water. I have no real knowledge about sun flares and the damage they can cause. But I have had a power surge through a cable modem and through the lan lines, while both computers were off, which caused both lan cards on both computers to fry. Luckily nothing else happened. Was still quite a surprise that it happened that way.

At least that was my theory. I mean, during a thunderstorm, is it likely that the only things to go out would be 2 computers, in 2 separate rooms, to both blow lan cards out, while no breakers being blown on the breaker box, but for a current to go through the lan cords in the router/modem?

Well I know they put satellites into low power mode to protect against them, so I think it does help. I'm not sure why though.

Grand Master

zhangm Supervisor

Posted
  • Supervisor
Posted

Well I know they put satellites into low power mode to protect against them, so I think it does help. I'm not sure why though.

Probably to lower the amount of current flowing in order to increase the probability that induced currents don't overload the circuits? Parallel to that, it may also lower the amount of heat that the device must tolerate.

Mentor

wellofsouls

Posted
Posted

Does it really matter if it is on or not? This isn't like water. I have no real knowledge about sun flares and the damage they can cause. But I have had a power surge through a cable modem and through the lan lines, while both computers were off, which caused both lan cards on both computers to fry. Luckily nothing else happened. Was still quite a surprise that it happened that way.

At least that was my theory. I mean, during a thunderstorm, is it likely that the only things to go out would be 2 computers, in 2 separate rooms, to both blow lan cards out, while no breakers being blown on the breaker box, but for a current to go through the lan cords in the router/modem?

well, during my college days, once in a heavy thunderstorm my roommate's desktop computer (powered off but connected to the cables) suddenly turn on and off on its own, and there was some strange noise, and then later my roommate find out that the PSU, CPU, mobo, video card, memory, the CRT monitor and HDDs are all fried. So if the solar flare can cause that kind of electromagnetic storm covering the whole world, it will be quite serious.

And yup electromagnetic storms can cause strong power surges within electronics circuits, not necessarily affecting the fuse.

Not bad, why not just turn the electronics off until the storm passes (that is if it's as bad as they say)?

it may not work depending on the severity of the electromagnetic storm. look at how our power generators work, when electromagnetic field is cut through by metal, there will be electric current induced. So if the electromagnetic field fluctuates violently, it can induce electric current in metal object, for sensitive constructs like electronics VLSI microcircuits, it may be generating high enough electric power to destroy the electronics. If it's as strong as EMP bombs, then any electronics not adequately shielded may be in danger.

Mentor

wellofsouls

Posted
Posted

Will some type of insulation help protect cables etc?

you need a Faraday's Box, basically means insulation with conductive materials cover.

put things inside a wooden box, then put the wooden box inside a metal box, then it's mostly immune to EMPs.

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