Reports about solar winds currently battering our planet were released. The winds blasted from the Sun hit Earth at an astronomical 1.4 million miles per hour, meaning 405 kilometers/second. The stream of particles has reached their 150 million kilometers trip from our host star to Earth.
The website Space Weather, cited by Express UK, unveiled, too, how a small temporary crack has developed in the magnetosphere. Such a thing allows some of the solar particles to kick in. As a result, we might witness the auroras in the northern hemisphere, on April 14. Auroras, which comprise northern lights (aurora borealis) and southern lights (aurora australis), occur when solar particles reach the atmosphere.
Solar Winds Hitting Earth – Consequences Reported
The magnetosphere gets hit a lot by solar winds, at least that’s what recent reports state. As a result, we get to see fantastic blue lights. They occur when the layer of the atmosphere diverts the particles. There are, however, other consequences, according to researchers. For the most part, our planet’s magnetic field shields us from the blast of radiation, which comes from sunspots.
Solar storms can affect a lot the satellite-based technology. They can also warm up the Earth’s outer atmosphere, causing it to enlarge. Satellites in orbit are affected, and the mobile phone signal, GPS navigation, and satellite TV might deteriorate. Also, a wave of particles might influence the high current in the magnetosphere, leading to higher electricity in the power lines. Some power stations and electrical transformers might lose power or suffer blowouts.
However, such events rarely occur, so we’re safe. Recent researches state that these solar winds should occur every 25 years on average. The highest technology-crippling solar storm was in 1859. Back then, a wave in electricity, known as the Carrington Event, hit down the telegraph systems across Europe. Other reports indicate that some buildings burned.
