Space weather forecasters have revealed how Earth is currently in the midst of a solar storm which could be powerful enough to hamper Earth’s technology. Solar storms can be detrimental to satellite-based technology as they can heat the Earth’s outer atmosphere, causing it to expand and making it more difficult for satellite signals to reach the ground.
This can affect satellites in orbit, potentially leading to a lack of GPS navigation, mobile phone signal and satellite TV such as Sky.
Additionally, a surge of particles can lead to high currents in the magnetosphere, which can lead to higher than normal electricity in power lines, resulting in electrical transformers and power stations blow outs and a loss of power.
Earth is currently being smashed by a steady stream of solar particles, which has been exacerbated by a small crack in the magnetosphere, which has allowed solar particles to “pour in” yesterday.
Cosmic forecasting site Space Weather has classed the storm as G-1, which can lead to “weak power grid fluctuations” and can have a “minor impact on satellite operations”.
The website stated: “A G1-class geomagnetic storm is underway on Feb 19th as Earth enters a minor stream of solar wind. Even before the solar wind arrived, Earth’s magnetic field was humming with energy because of a crack that opened for more than 8 hours on Feb 18th.
“Solar wind poured in, setting the stage for today’s storm.”
While this storm is expected to have little effect on Earth, scientists have warned that a major technology-crippling solar storm could happen on average every 25 years.
Research from the University of Warwick and the British Antarctic Survey analysed the last 14 solar cycles, dating back 150 years.
READ MORE: Space weather: Crack opens in Earth’s magnetic shield
“This research proposes a new method to approach historical data, to provide a better picture of the chance of occurrence of super-storms and what super-storm activity we are likely to see in the future.”
The biggest technology-crippling solar storm came in 1859, when a surge in electricity during what is now known as the Carrington Event, which was so strong that telegraph systems went down across Europe.
There are also reports that some buildings set on fire as a result of the electricity surge.