Solar Superstorm?

I see that the UK is being warned that it should prepare for a "Solar Superstorm". Such an event typically happens once every 100 to 200 years and the last was in 1859.

Back then the world was not heavily affected, but that will not be the case when it happens next time.

With the ever increasing reliance on electronic solutions we should all be considering our options. The article I've just seen suggests that we carry road maps in the car rather than relying on GPS, but who's to say that the car itself will work? It questions the way photographers are getting ever more reliant on electronic solutions and also whether the camera itself will even work at all.

Dang, I though it was on it's way so I googled it and found is one of the chicken little stories. It might one day happen like tomorrow, or 100 years from today. Just like Yellowstone. It to one day will erupt pretty much wiping out the northern 1/2 of the North American continent and plunging the planet into winter for the next 10,000 years. Or the killer asteroid headed our way sometime in the next few 10k years.

Our weather channel has a program called "It could happen tomorrow" where all the earth ending events are covered including the collapse of Hawaii which will generate a wave big enough to wipe out the western coast, the collapse of some canary island doing the same to the east coast, massive plagues caused by antibiotic overuse and more.

I figure when it happens we will have to deal with it and getting a picture of the earth ending asteroid just before it hits is pretty low on my priority list.

Time to break out my tinfoil suit.

^ Good one Rick Made me chuckle

rick_reno wrote in post #15583244
Time to break out my tinfoil suit.

Rick, if you call it a Faraday cage, the idea sounds far more reasonable.

lazer-jock wrote in post #15584690
Rick, if you call it a Faraday cage, the idea sounds far more reasonable.

I used to work inside those, wouldn't want to try wearing one

rick_reno wrote in post #15584959
I used to work inside those, wouldn't want to try wearing one

What do you think their applications would be for lightning? Do you think it is possible to be lightning proof inside a Faraday Suit?
(I'm serious; something I've always wondered!)

D. Vance wrote in post #15585292
What do you think their applications would be for lightning? Do you think it is possible to be lightning proof inside a Faraday Suit?
(I'm serious; something I've always wondered!)

yes.
http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=Zi4kXgDBFhw

gjl711 wrote in post #15585374
yes.
http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=Zi4kXgDBFhw

Wooow.... Kinda discomforting how it jumps to the cage about 9 out of every 10 times, though! Hmmm... Wonder I it would be attracted to me the same way; I'm guessing 54,000 degrees would cook you, shocked or not though!

D. Vance wrote in post #15585416
Wooow.... Kinda discomforting how it jumps to the cage about 9 out of every 10 times, though! Hmmm... Wonder I it would be attracted to me the same way; I'm guessing 54,000 degrees would cook you, shocked or not though!

Path of least resistance. As long as the Faraday cage is grounded, it's going to take that route to ground.

gjl711 wrote in post #15586389
Path of least resistance. As long as the Faraday cage is grounded, it's going to take that route to ground.

True. Even if it only struck the cage, though, the air around a bolt can be 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit! I'm guessing that if that struck a couple feet away, it'd fry you wether it got you with electricity or not.

D. Vance wrote in post #15586404
True. Even if it only struck the cage, though, the air around a bolt can be 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit! I'm guessing that if that struck a couple feet away, it'd fry you wether it got you with electricity or not.

I have had lightning strike less than 5 feet from me. It hit a light pole. I suspect that the 54,000 degree thing is maybe the air inside the lightning bolt and very localized. We felt nothing except the total stopping of our hearts as the boom was so deafening and sudden.

gjl711 wrote in post #15586422
I have had lightning strike less than 5 feet from me. It hit a light pole. I suspect that the 54,000 degree thing is maybe the air inside the lightning bolt and very localized. We felt nothing except the total stopping of our hearts as the boom was so deafening and sudden.

Wow! I've been 30 feet, and 200 yards from bolts; I got an amazing (to me) picture of the 200 yard bolt; I even have a picture of what I think it probably hit! https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1205074

I used to be terrified of lightning, especially after it hit our house last summer, but I watched plenty of Storm Chasers, and watched videos with lightning and thunder; headphones cranked up, trying to scare myself a little. Now, I love trying to photograph it!
There's nothing like that acidic taste of terror after a really close strike, though!

Oh my, one of these again. The surface of the earth is actually very well protected from a solar storm, only long run high voltage transmission that can induce additional current from the electromagtic nature of the storm is really at risk, which can be really bad when there are massive power outages, but small electronics and local distribution lines should be spared. Now, the satellite network, including GPS, communications, etc, will all be much more vulnerable and could take a lot more damage, although many of the sensitive parts are shielded to a point.

Here's a crazy question, how much do you really rely on GPS anyway? Can you make it to work, a store, etc, without it?

A major solar storm will likely cause a lot of headaches and some problems, but to say it will be civilization ender is a bit of a stretch.

Keyan wrote in post #15586461
Oh my, one of these again. The surface of the earth is actually very well protected from a solar storm, only long run high voltage transmission that can induce additional current from the electromagtic nature of the storm is really at risk, which can be really bad when there are massive power outages, but small electronics and local distribution lines should be spared. Now, the satellite network, including GPS, communications, etc, will all be much more vulnerable and could take a lot more damage, although many of the sensitive parts are shielded to a point.

Here's a crazy question, how much do you really rely on GPS anyway? Can you make it to work, a store, etc, without it?

A major solar storm will likely cause a lot of headaches and some problems, but to say it will be civilization ender is a bit of a stretch.

But, what if my iPhone goes dead for a day?! I can't be expected to go without *Gasp* Facebook and Angry Birds for that long! :p