Longest Period of Magnetic Field Observations
University of Warwick, UK | 2020 Jan 29
A 'great' space weather super-storm large enough to cause significant disruption to our electronic and networked systems occurred on average once in every 25 years according to a new joint study by the University of Warwick and the British Antarctic Survey.Click to play embedded YouTube video.
By analysing magnetic field records at opposite ends of the Earth (UK and Australia), scientists have been able to detect super-storms going back over the last 150 years.
This result was made possible by a new way of analysing historical data, pioneered by the University of Warwick, from the last 14 solar cycles, way before the space age began in 1957, instead of the last five solar cycles currently used.
The analysis shows that 'severe' magnetic storms occurred in 42 out of the last 150 years, and 'great' super-storms occurred in 6 years out of 150. Typically, a storm may only last a few days but can be hugely disruptive to modern technology. Super-storms can cause power blackouts, take out satellites, disrupt aviation and cause temporary loss of GPS signals and radio communications. ...
Using the aa index over the last 14 solar cycles to characterize
extreme geomagnetic activity ~ S.C. Chapman, R.B. Horne, N.W. Watkins
- Geophysical Research Letters (online 22 Jan 2020) DOI: 10.1029/2019GL086524