Posted on 07/30/2015 7:28:59 AM PDT by PROCON
It sounds like a scene from a disaster movie – mass power failures, plane crashes, satellite disruptions, and train derailments. These are some of the threats modern society would face in the case of a massive solar storm, according to a new document released by the U.K. Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.
The “Space Weather Preparedness Strategy” outlines the disturbances that could be caused by unpredictable solar weather. The most striking find from the report is the fact that a country would have only a 12-hour warning period before the storm would hit the planet.
The worst possible scenario would be a coronal mass ejection of plasma from the sun, during which the corona – that bright glow seen encircling the sun during a total solar eclipse – detaches, shooting off X-rays and high-energy particles directly to the Earth.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
If the sun explodes, there won’t be anything we can do anyway.
The Russians are the only ones who can get off the planet, but they can’t go any farther than orbit.
So does the CME only take 8 minutes to get here, but the plasma/corona type takes 12 hours? In either case is it wise/useful to unplug all computers and electronics and stay indoors?
What are the sensitive components in my car? Mine is a 1996 Caravan, and my BF has a 2007 Honda Civic. Would it help to have a car in a garage?
Will I still have to pay my taxes?
I am sure someone will blame Bush. I feel sorry for Bush because he is blamed for everything that goes wrong.
There was a great Twilight zone (or Outer Limits) with Burgess Merideth as a bookworm with his eye on the pretty librarian - but not enough nerve to do anything about it. That evening the glow in the sky was beautiful. But - communications were out with his friend in China.
He figured out the sun had gone screwy, and he (and everyone else) had until morning. (But nobody else had figured it out). He found the librarian working late and they had a date and ended up at his place talking away the entire night. I don’t recall if he told her what was going on or not.
I think you’re mixing up two Twilight Zone episodes that Burgess Meredith appeared in and the episode “Inconstant Moon” of the new Outer Limits.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inconstant_Moon_(The_Outer_Limits)
“Should we call someone? The government?”
“The Sun has gone nova. Who do you suggest we call, the Fire Department?”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Enough_at_Last
Thank you for that link. I think the one I was confusing it with was the above - “Time Enough at Last” where the H-bomb kills everyone but the library is left intact.
The LIGHT from the CME only takes 8 minutes to get here. The protons and electrons take longer. Gives you time to break out the aluminum foil! ;-)
So can getting drunk twice in one day. Don’t ask me how I know this. Lol
Are you joking about the tin foil, or are there actually useful places where you can put it, like on your unplugged computer or your cell phone, or the hood of your car?
There’s no more or less risk to your electronics; the fact is, before there was systematic observation off the Sun for these kinds of things, there was radio equipment, and the early radio sets still work. Tube amp type equipment still works. Worrying about the possible crushing of our electronics by these phenomena is akin to attributing northern hemisphere effects to the “new” ozone hole over Antarctica.
Dunno that it would help to unplug stuff. You’d probably need to shove whatever electronics you wanted to survive a faraday cage.
Dunno how long it would take but it is probably slower than light.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.