Solar Storms Disrupt GPS Systems
In the Nicolas Cage movie "Knowing" solar flares threaten humanity. We don't have to worry quite so much about that correct now, but a solar storm is disrupting energy supplies and communication satellites and, apparently causing chaos in common internationally. GPS malfunctioning is 1 of the disruptions most likely to affect the general population. Simply because GPS systems rely on communication satellites to pinpoint your position and guide you to your location and simply because communication satellites are going to be on the fritz, your trusted GPS will not be so trustworthy for the duration of the storm.
The current solar storm is component of an active period in the sun's 11-year climate cycle. Astronomers have warned that it is "an very active" period and it seems it's obtaining much more active by the week. The first warnings were issued in April, when scientists predicted that we would be getting into the biggest solar storm cycle the world has noticed for 50 years. Storm activity has been noted from August with the latest disruptions occurring on Monday 13 December 2010.
In addition to the disruption to GPS and communication systems, the newest storm poses a health danger to astronauts on the International Space Station. Regardless, scientists have suggested that rather than panic, individuals should appreciate the spectacle of the aurora borealis of the Northern and Southern Lights, which are especially striking throughout occasions of intense solar activity. Of course, those of us who don't live anywhere near the poles will just have to take their word for it.
Reminiscent of another disaster movie, "2012", in two years' time we can anticipate to see even much more beautiful Northern Lights and more GPS, mobile phone and power disruptions as the sun experiences a "solar maximum" when the 11-year cycle will attain its most active period. It's been suggested the Northern Lights will be so bright that they will be visible from Rome.
Rather than becoming passive observers, the public has been allowed and even encouraged to help scientists track the storms and solar activity. Solar Stormwatch is an initiative by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich it has its own website on provides a solar activity tutorial that shows members what they require look for. Members use NASA's STEREO spacecraft to keep an eye on solar activity and when they spot a storm they need to post an alert on Stormwatch, which then requests other members to help monitor it. The information generated is used to predict when the storm is expected to attain Earth. Utilizing Stormwatch it's possible to predict storms up to 3 days in advance.
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