#solarcycle25 — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #solarcycle25, aggregated by home.social.
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Strong #MagneticStorm to hit soon: When and how to be prepared
Story by Maria Kholina, January 2, 2024
"Red-level magnetic storm is sweeping across the Earth, and many people may begin to feel a decline in well-being by the second half of today. The unsettled #magnetosphere will persist for the next few days, according to Meteoagent.
Magnetic storms can lead to discomfort and change in well-being. #SolarFlares and explosions on the Sun release a significant amount of solar energy into space, consisting of charged particles such as protons and electrons. These particles, when reaching Earth's magnetosphere, create activity known as magnetic or solar storms.
"Experts classify storms based on K-index, ranging from 1 to 9, with higher values indicating more intense storms and their potential impact. Storms with a K-index above 5 are classified as Red-level storms, capable of affecting human well-being.
"Such storms can affect people's health, disrupt communication sources such as #satellites, #GPS, #CellTowers, and #radio frequencies. Storms with a K-index exceeding 7 may even result in polar #auroras.
"As per data from NOAA, TESIS satellites, and international meteorological laboratories worldwide, a Red-level K-index 5 storm will hit the Earth in the second half of January 2. Throughout January 3, a K-index 4 storm will be observed, and on January 4, the Earth will once again experience a Red-level K-index 5 storm.
"The magnetosphere will return to a calm state on January 5.
"Experts classify storms based on K-index, ranging from 1 to 9, with higher values indicating more intense storms and their potential impact. Storms with a K-index above 5 are classified as Red-level storms, capable of affecting human well-being.
"Such storms can affect people's health, disrupt communication sources such as satellites, GPRS, cell towers, and radio frequencies. Storms with a K-index exceeding 7 may even result in polar auroras.
"Research indicates a correlation between magnetic storms and human well-being. People often complain of symptoms such as: headaches, dizziness, migraines, brain fog, daytime drowsiness, insomnia, decreased concentration, general weakness, rapid fatigue increased anxiety, irritability, exacerbation of chronic illnesses."
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Solar storms could cause train accidents, scientists warn
Story by Andrew Griffin, December 11, 2023
“#SpaceWeather – changes in the atmosphere that include blasts of energy from the Sun – can disrupt everything from communications to #PowerGrids. Scientists have repeatedly warned that the Earth faces potentially catastrophic danger from #SolarStorms, which could be powerful enough to bring down much of the #infrastructure on which we depend.
“Now researchers warn that danger could be enough to cause malfunctioning #rail signals, which in turn could lead to #TrainAccidents.
“Researchers modelled how geomagnetically induced currents from solar storms could cause danger, by looking at two routes: the Preston to Lancaster section of the #WestCoastMainLine, and the #GlasgowToEdinburghLine. Those are just two lines that rely heavily on that rail signal, and there are more than 50,000 signalling track circuits in the UK, which control the railway signal with an electric circuit.
“In the new study, they found that space weather would be able to change those circuits. Models suggest that could happen every few decades, the researchers found.
“’Crucially, our research suggests that space weather is able to flip a signal in either direction, turning a red signal green or a green signal red. This is obviously very significant from a safety perspective,' said Cameron Patterson from Lancaster University.
“’By building a computer model of the signalling track circuits using realistic specifications for the various components of the system, we found that space weather events capable of triggering faults in these track circuits are expected in the UK every few decades.'
“Patterson had previously worked on research that suggested solar storms could lead to 'right side' failures, where signals turn from green to red. Those are less dangerous, since trains will stay at a stop.
“But the new research suggests that they can also happen for 'wrong side' failures, that change signals to green. What’s more, they actually require less strength to be flipped, suggesting they could happen with less powerful solar storms.
“‘Our research shows that space weather poses a serious, if relatively rare, risk to the rail signalling system, which could cause delays or even have more critical, safety implications,' said Cameron. 'This natural hazard needs to be taken seriously. By their nature, high-impact, low-frequency events are hard to plan for, but ignoring them is rarely the best way forward.'
“In 1859, the world was hit by what is known as the ‘#CarringtonEvent’, which was powerful enough to knock telegraph signals offline as well as other disruptions. If that happened today, it would cause widespread disruption – including causing widespread problems on both train lines that were examined in the study.
“But there have been more recent, if less powerful, examples of space weather that is powerful enough to hit power grids. In 2003, the Swedish city of Malmo suffered problems from space weather, for instance.
“The work is reported in a new study, 'Wrong Side' Failures Caused by Geomagnetically Induced Currents in Electrified Railway Signalling Systems in the UK’, published in the journal Space Weather.”