What happens to the Earth during the year when solar storms are active, that is, during solar maximums?
In ancient times, people were full of awe and curiosity about mysterious phenomena in the sky. Due to the lack of scientific knowledge, these phenomena are often interpreted as the activities of the gods or as a harbinger of future fate.
Ancient Chinese history books record a number of celestial anomalies, some of which may be related to solar storms. For example, the red light phenomenon that lasted for 9 days in the northeast in the last years of the Ming Dynasty recorded in the History of the Ming Dynasty and the Astronomical Chronicles is likely to be a strong aurora event.
In Norse mythology, the rainbow bridge "Bald's Bridge" is believed to be a passage connecting the earth and heaven. And when the Northern Lights appeared, it was believed that the gods were fighting, sparks colliding with swords and shields. This explanation reflects a mystical imagination of the aurora phenomenon.
The Greek poet Homer is said to have described a "rose-colored dawn" in his epic poem The Iliad, which may have been a literary depiction of the aurora. In addition, the ancient Greeks also believed that the strange light that appeared in the sky was a manifestation of the gods.
Many Native American tribes have legends about the aurora. In some cultures, the aurora is seen as the soul of the dead, while in others, they symbolize the soul of an animal or a great hunter hunting in the sky.
In the Inca Empire, the sun was regarded as the supreme deity. Any sun-related phenomenon, including auroras that may be caused by solar storms, is considered a sacred symbol and is associated with religious rituals and divination.
The ancient Egyptians worshipped the sun god Ra, who believed that the daily rise and setting of the sun in the east was a process of rebirth. If there is an unusual phenomenon in the sky, such as a red sky, it may be seen as a sign of the wrath of the gods.
Although most of these legends cannot be directly proven to be related to solar storms, they reveal the profound observation and rich imagination of ancient people about natural phenomena.
The study of solar activity is a multidisciplinary field that involves several disciplines such as astronomy, physics, earth science, and space weather.
Sunspots are one of the basic indicators of solar activity. Their appearance and disappearance follow an approximately 11-year cycle, which is known as the "solar cycle" or "sunspot cycle". Scientists monitor changes in solar activity by monitoring the number and distribution of sunspots. According to previous data, the Earth will usher in the 25th super solar storm cycle from 2023 to 2026. During this cycle, solar activity will be more active, and more flares, coronal mass ejections, and other phenomena may occur. These solar activities produce strong solar winds, which can trigger magnetic storms and aurora when they hit the Earth.
Solar activity has an impact on the Earth's climate, ionosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Studying these interactions helps us understand how solar activity shapes the Earth's environment.
1.Geomagnetic storms and aurora enhancement: When charged particles from the solar wind enter the Earth's magnetic field, they excite gases in the atmosphere, forming beautiful auroras (Northern and Southern Lights). At the peak of solar activity, these auroras may appear closer to the equator.
2.Communication interference: Intense solar radiation can affect radio wave propagation, especially short-wave communications. This can cause problems for aviation, nautical, and amateur radio hobbyists.
3.Disruption of communications or degraded performance: Energetic particles in space can damage the electronics on satellites, causing communication failures or navigation system errors. This effect can affect GPS positioning, weather forecasting, and TV signal transmission, among other things.
4.Grid damage: If a solar storm is strong enough, it can cause drastic changes in the Earth's electromagnetic field, causing the current to induce excessive voltage in the power transmission lines, potentially burning transformers and other critical equipment, triggering a massive blackout. The most famous example in history is the Quebec blackout of 1989.
5.Human health risks: While the Earth's atmosphere provides us with some level of protection, long-term exposure to high-energy radiation from solar storms may increase the risk of cancer, especially for pilots and flight attendants who often fly long haul.
6.Space missions are affected: Astronauts are directly exposed to solar radiation in space and need to take extra precautions to reduce the radiation dose. In addition, spacecraft and spacecraft must also be designed with the effects of solar activity in mind to ensure their safe operation.
7.Climate Change Effects: Some studies have shown that the solar cycle may have some correlation with the Earth's climate, and that the influence of strong solar storms on the geomagnetic field may also lead to changes in the direction of underground magma flow and thus induce crustal movements.
Overall, years of active solar storms lead to changes in the Earth's space environment that can affect our daily lives and various technological systems. As a result, scientists have been monitoring solar activity and developing models to warn of potentially dangerous events in advance.
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