The solar activity

bearnard19

Member
Have you ever heard that solar activity has a huge impact on our technology. Our technology in space, to our technology on the ground, historical evidence shows the vulnerability of modern technology when confronted with high energy particles, a by-product of space weather events. Equally important is to remember that space weather has a global footprint, thus the damage is felt worldwide rather than local, much like an outbreak. Impact on satellites, aviation, power grid, navigation and communication systems have all been previously documented.
 

oldsig127

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Have you ever heard that solar activity has a huge impact on our technology. Our technology in space, to our technology on the ground, historical evidence shows the vulnerability of modern technology when confronted with high energy particles, a by-product of space weather events. Equally important is to remember that space weather has a global footprint, thus the damage is felt worldwide rather than local, much like an outbreak. Impact on satellites, aviation, power grid, navigation and communication systems have all been previously documented.
Mate, sixty years ago I was communicating with HF radio and repeatedly changing frequencies to account for the effect of solar activity. Sixty years before I was born solar activity was affecting communications. It's not a new problem. Scientists understand it, engineers take account of it and somehow your telephone just keeps on working. I'd be a bit surprised to find this was new to anyone here.

oldsig
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Have you ever heard that solar activity has a huge impact on our technology. Our technology in space, to our technology on the ground, historical evidence shows the vulnerability of modern technology when confronted with high energy particles, a by-product of space weather events. Equally important is to remember that space weather has a global footprint, thus the damage is felt worldwide rather than local, much like an outbreak. Impact on satellites, aviation, power grid, navigation and communication systems have all been previously documented.
This is basic knowledge. What's the point of your post?
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Maybe he recently read about it and wanted to share his latest discovery with us.

But yes, its basic knowledge these days, during heavy solar activity it is sometimes even on the news.
 

oldsig127

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Maybe he recently read about it and wanted to share his latest discovery with us.

But yes, its basic knowledge these days, during heavy solar activity it is sometimes even on the news.
It's even in primary school text books. When my twins were in school one of them did a project on the way sunspot activity affects radio. Of course, she's over 30 now and maybe kids no longer learn science.

oldsig
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
An article from Defence One regarding the recent solar CME. Despite concerns raised twenty years ago wrt the vulnerability of GPS and instructions to DoT to come up with a backup....minimal action so far. Anything similar to the 1859 Carington event will mean worrying about the electric grid and all its transformers. Trying to replace thousands of transformers will make the current chip shortage seem trivial in comparison.

 

ASSAIL

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
An article from Defence One regarding the recent solar CME. Despite concerns raised twenty years ago wrt the vulnerability of GPS and instructions to DoT to come up with a backup....minimal action so far. Anything similar to the 1859 Carington event will mean worrying about the electric grid and all its transformers. Trying to replace thousands of transformers will make the current chip shortage seem trivial in comparison.

How will we ever exist without GPS! Really?
Maybe it’s time to to construct exercises prohibiting its use, both civilian emergency services and military.
This would certainly illustrate where weaknesses exist and determine what weapons and systems were still deployable and more importantly, how staff and crew react to overcome the problems.
Looks like paper maps, Astro nav and street directories would be back in vogue along with reincarnated Decca and Loran.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
The problem is really in the civilian sector. For starters, (especially here in Canada), where are you going to find cabbie or Uber drivers who can find a destination without GPS.:D Maps, will be available like PPE was at the start of the COVID crisis! Given enough time, things would get sorted in a non GPS environment. The much bigger issue is a fried electrical grid with massive transformer losses. Repairs could easily take up to a year if the CME event was huge and a direct hit. Huge urban areas without power for months, not a pleasant prospect.
 
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