Geomagnetic Storms Could Affect Power

While geomagnetic alerts are important to amateur radio operators, solar storms can also disrupt radio communication.

Listen to this:  Solar Superstorms … (Windows Media)

What are the effects that solar storms can have on technology and the modern world? Is this relevant?

Ice storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods are forms of disaster that can cause devastation all around us. But, what about a solar storm? Can a solar storm cause problems?

On March 13, 1989, a solar storm was the reason for a major blackout in Quebec, Canada. Hydro-Québec, the world’s largest producer of hydroelectric power, was forced to leave six million people without power. Several million dollars was the cost of this solar storm. Could a geomagnetic storm be a threat to a power grid today? A solar storm could have a major impact and cause extreme financial losses to the economy. What else would be vulnerable?

Geomagnetic Storm Vulnerability List:

  • Satellites
  • GPS Systems
  • Electric Power
  • Pipelines
  • Airlines
  • Military
  • Telephone Pagers
  • Communication Systems
  • Spacecraft

    • Sources:
    * NOAA Magazine Solar Storms can cause significant economic and other impacts on earth.
    * Science NASA Solar Superstorm.
    * Wikipedia Geomagnetic Storm.
    * The HydroQuebec Blackout Blackout – Massive Power Grid Failure.  13 March 1989 0745 UT