Frontier of science and technology Recently, the Space Weather Center of the China Meteorological Administration issued a warning that **On December 1-2, China may be attacked by geomagnetic storms. This abnormal change in the Earth's magnetic field will have an impact on space stations, satellite navigation, aviation flights, and carrier pigeons. So, what exactly is a geomagnetic storm?What are the specific impacts it has on our lives?And will it pose a threat to our physical health?Today we will delve into these three questions.
Geomagnetic storm is a global phenomenon of violent disturbance of the earth's magnetic field. We all know that the earth itself is a huge magnetic field that provides us with a variety of electronic devices, such as mobile phones, computers, televisions, etc. However, when this magnetic field changes dramatically, a geomagnetic storm arises.
First, let's take a look at the impact of geomagnetic storms on life. Geomagnetic storms affect the operation of satellites in the first place. The positioning and operation of satellites are achieved by relying on the geomagnetic field, and when a geomagnetic storm occurs, the positioning of the satellite will be biased, which will affect the accuracy of our navigation system and weather forecast.
Secondly, geomagnetic storms will also have an impact on the operation of the power system. The power system relies on electromagnetic induction to work, and the occurrence of geomagnetic storms will lead to changes in the electromagnetic field, which will affect the stable operation of the power system, and may even lead to large-scale power outages in severe cases.
Finally, geomagnetic storms also have an impact on electronic devices. The working principle of electronic equipment is to rely on electromagnetic waves, and the occurrence of geomagnetic storms will lead to the interference of electromagnetic waves, which will affect the normal operation of electronic equipment, and may even lead to damage to electronic equipment in serious cases.
The most intuitive effect of geomagnetic storms is the aurora. When a magnetic storm occurs, charged particles enter the Earth's atmosphere along the magnetic field lines, causing the collision between molecules and atoms in the atmosphere to excite and produce "fluorescence", which is what we call auroras.
Overall, while geomagnetic storms may sound scary, their effects can be minimized if we understand how they work and take precautions in advance.