Scientists warn solar storms will get bigger

[New Sancai Compilation First Release] While this week's solar storm is mainly known for its stunning aurora shows, experts warn that the next solar storm could be even more powerful and is only a year away.

Dr. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at Harvard University in the United States, said on May 17 that the sun has not yet reached "solar maximum", which is the most active point in its 11-year cycle. During this period, huge turbulence will occur. Increase the sun's energy output. Solar storms occur when bursts of radiation and plasma from the Sun can overcharge Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, causing significant damage to modern technology if intense enough.

McDowell told the media: "We are very susceptible to bigger storms in the next year or two." The maximum number will arrive next summer in July 2025.

A severe solar storm hit Earth over the weekend and produced intense auroras in many areas of the planet where auroras are not traditionally visible.

While the mesmerizing aurora show is unique to observers, it wreaks havoc on some satellite-connected devices due to its reliance on global positioning systems. "All the tractors are parked at the end of the fields and are shut down now because of the solar storm," said Kevin Kenney, who owns a farm in Nebraska. "There's no GPS."

"This is an absolutely scary time for satellite operators," Dr. McDowell added. "The damage to satellites will be much greater in the next few years than during much of the past decade."

Elon Musk's Starlink, which has nearly 60% of the roughly 7,500 satellites in orbit, has warned that they are weathering strong geomagnetic storms that are degrading service.

McDowell, who works with NASA's Chandra X-ray Telescope Observatory, said the team "took some precautions" to ensure some of the instruments could survive the solar storm.

McDowell said the only way to predict major solar storms is to track the path of sunspots. "Therefore, a certain degree of prediction is possible," he added. "We are working hard to improve this."

(Compiled by: Wang Jimin)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)