YouTube Transcript:
NASA Warns Massive Solar Storm Will Hit Earth Soon | Space Documentary
Skip watching entire videos - get the full transcript, search for keywords, and copy with one click.
Share:
Video Transcript
Available languages:
View:
[Music]
in the center of our solar system
lies a serial killer
here where the powerful explosions occur
violent forces have erupted time and
time again leaving only destruction and
disruption in their wake
a century and a half ago it erupted with
such intensity that it may have been the
biggest explosion in the solar system in
all of human history
and today the countdown to the next big
disaster has begun once again
it's a story of a star that's both our
creator and Destroyer
it is the story of our son
[Music]
it's August 4th 1972.
crew members aboard the U.S task force
77 aircraft are flying over the
Strategic ports off the coast of North
Vietnam
[Music]
it's the midst of the Vietnam War
during their flyby of the haifeng harbor
they are jolted with a series of
deafening explosions
despite the clear weather and the
absence of any visible warships in sight
that could have caused such a
disturbance
in total around 20 to 30 explosions were
documented in a mere 30 second span
all of these explosions had happened
underwater
the mines had been strategically planted
there three months earlier by the United
States Navy themselves as part of
operation pocket money
a U.S plan to block North Vietnam from
Maritime trade during the Vietnam war
and these Minds were supposed to
detonate when a ship passes above them
the mine would sense a change to the
magnetic field density and trigger an
explosion
but instead all of them blasted on their
own
[Music]
for over four decades the cause of this
event remained shrouded in mystery until
a recent study of the newly Declassified
U.S Navy documents revealed that the
culprit was not of any Earthly origin
but rather
someone from above
Sun
[Music]
the sun it is an object in our solar
system that really needs no introduction
for centuries its power has spoken for
itself
to the ancient Egyptians the Sun God Ra
was one of the most important and
Powerful deities
he was often depicted with the head of a
falcon and the sun disc on his head
symbolizing his connection to the Sun
as the solar God Ra's Radiance would
warm the land bring life to crops
and cast its Golden Glow across the
Nile's Tranquil Waters
raw was believed to be the creator of
the world
responsible for bringing light and life
to the cosmos
a radiant deity who skillfully upheld
the universe's Harmony
with his Brilliance reaching every
corner of existence
therefore with such a deep influence on
their culture the ancient Egyptians
revered the Sun God Ra not only for his
life-giving power
but also for his role as the ultimate
judge observing the actions of humanity
from his Divine vantage point
and so there are many instances where
raw was also associated with his
destructive forms
one of the most well-known destructive
aspects of raw was his eye often
referred to as the eye of raw
this eye could transform into a lioness
or a fiery aggressive form representing
the destructive power of the sun's heat
and light
it was believed that raw could send his
eye as a raging weapon to punish or
destroy those who opposed him or
threatened Cosmic order
Egyptian mythology is filled with
stories much like this one wherein Ra's
anger or displeasure could lead to
destructive events such as droughts
plagues or other natural disasters
raw's anger and Furious aspect were
symbolic of the potentially destructive
power of the sun's Rays when unchecked
even today centuries later
the cultural resonance between the fury
of the Eye of Ra and the unrestrained
power of the sun endures across various
mindsets
2 in the perspectives of modern day
astrophysicists
according to NASA in an increasingly
technological world where almost
everyone relies on cell phones and GPS
controls not just your in-car map system
but also airplane navigation and the
extremely accurate clocks that govern
Financial transactions space weather is
a serious matter
recently you might have encountered an
array of news articles delving into the
escalating violence and instability
displayed by our sun
it's nearly becoming routine for the sun
to unleash at least one solar storm per
week
just a few weeks ago in June the sun
gave rise to over 160 sunspots account
not surpassed in more than two decades
it's the beginning of what scientists
call the peak of the solar cycle 25.
and while many space agencies predicted
a maximum monthly count of 125 sunspots
during the 25th solar Cycles Peak
the star is now on a trajectory to Peak
at just under 200 monthly sunspots
but what's driving this change in the
sun's Behavior how did the sun trigger
the mine explosions
there are plenty of questions
and as always space phenomena rarely
have any straightforward answer
but let's start from the beginning
[Music]
about 4.6 billion years ago a massive
cloud of gas and dust in space also
known as a molecular cloud began
collapsing under its own gravity
what triggered this collapse is still a
matter of debate among scientists
but according to the latest research and
the prevailing consensus the collapse is
believed to have been set in motion by a
nearby event that sent powerful shock
waves such as a supernova explosion or
the gravitational forces exerted by
Young stars as they compressed the
surrounding gas
because of the shock wave the molecular
cloud began to contract starting to spin
faster and faster and finally flattened
into a rotating disc due to the
conservation of angular momentum
this flattened disc would eventually
give rise to our future solar system
in the center of this spinning disc a
dense region began to form due to
gravitational attraction
drawing in gas and dust from the
surrounding area this dense core
accumulated more and more material
and as the core grew in both size and
Mass
its gravitational pull intensified thus
attracting even more material
eventually the increasing pressure
caused temperatures in the core to
Skyrocket reaching millions of degrees
Celsius or Fahrenheit
at these super high temperatures a
process known as nuclear fusion began to
initiate
hydrogen atoms in the core collided with
each other with such force that they
merged and formed helium atoms releasing
an Untold amount of energy in the
process
pushing against the pull of gravity that
was attempting to crush the star's
material the energy from these nuclear
fusion reactions strive to move outward
creating a pressure that sought to
expand the star
this delicate equilibrium between
outward pushing energy and the inward
pulling gravity established a stable
state that has persisted for billions of
years
the Inception of this balance marked the
birth of a new star in the universe
our sun
this outward moving energy travels from
the sun's layers to its surface where
it's emitted as sunlight
this energy manifests as both light and
heat extending to every planet and
object within our solar system
fast forward to the present day and the
sun finds itself halfway through its
life cycle shining about 30 percent more
brightly than it did in its earlier
stages
it currently experiences the most stable
phase of its life cycle known as the
main sequence a state it is maintained
since its Inception roughly 4.6 billion
years ago
therefore unlike most other violent
Stars our sun has provided for a
relatively stable environment in which
life can flourish
its energy permeates nearly every facet
of Life on our planet the Vitality of
our ecosystems the warmth that Embraces
us and the sustenance of countless
organisms all hinge on this Cosmic
Wellspring
the Sun's light forms the Bedrock of our
existence nurturing growth guiding
weather patterns and invigorating
Earth's complex Web of Life
just look at how precisely it provides
just the right amount of warmth and
Light enabling plants to undergo
photosynthesis wherein they harness the
sun's energy and convert it into
essential carbohydrates
gradually this solar energy travels up
the food chain ultimately nourishing us
humans
as we consume and metabolize this food
we gain The crucial energy that keeps
our bodies functioning properly
this transfer of energy traces a
remarkable path back to the Sun
the source of all life and the first
link in the food chain
the sun is our creator
yet beneath its gentle cradle
Shadows of uncertainty have found refuge
for billions of years
visualizing the sun via the eyes of
space observatories reveals an entirely
different story
much like every other star even our own
star boasts a landscape of dynamic
activity
in fact the most powerful explosions in
the solar system occur here
each passing second Witnesses the
generation of more energy through these
eruptions than Humanity has consumed
throughout its entire history and to be
fair It's Perfectly Normal for our Sun
to produce this much energy
however problems start arising when such
huge amounts of energies get trapped and
locked within the Sun
similar to how Earth's magnetic field is
created by the movement of its core The
Sun Also possesses its unique magnetic
field generated by the motion of charged
particles in its superheated core
emerging from the solar surface this
magnetic field extends beyond the
confines of the sun's outermost
atmospheric layer
reaching out into the vast expanse of
the solar system
accompanying it is the unending stream
of solar particles known as the solar
wind
the solar wind consists of a continuous
flow of charged particles primarily
electrons and protons that Journey
outward from the Sun into outer space
this wind emerges from the sun's
incredibly high temperatures and the
intense energy present within its
outermost layer known as the corona
the Corona's extreme heat provides
enough kinetic energy to propel
particles to achieve tremendous speeds
allowing them to break free from the
sun's gravitational grasp this process
gives birth to an uninterrupted Cascade
of such particles
this solar wind however is far from
uniform it comprises a complex mixture
of particles characterized by varying
speeds densities and energies that form
an unceasing yet ever-changing stream
that permeates the entirety of the solar
system their journey is facilitated by
the sun's magnetic field which guides
the path of these particles and gives
rise to a form of space weather
during a typical day the solar wind
flows continuously past the Earth 24 7.
distorting its magnetic field and
pulling it around the back in a
tail-like structure
our Earth's magnetic field easily
manages to withstand most of these winds
some of them engage with Earth's
magnetosphere and atmosphere
different gas particles in the
atmosphere produce different colors in
auroras nitrogen atom auroras look red
oxygen green and hydrogen blue
auroras become visible in various
locations depending on the intensity of
the solar wind striking Earth
and as a result these otherwise
dangerous particles from the Sun are
rendered harmless and become a rather
beautiful phenomenon
these breathtaking displays of light are
a common occurrence on nearly all
planets within our solar system and they
typically do not cause harm or
disruption to planetary routines
however as the rotational speed between
the sun's poles and equator increases it
initiates a twisting Motion in the
magnetic field giving rise to a complex
and entangled structure and amplifying
its power even further
this results in the formation of
magnetic knots that accumulate enormous
amounts of energy akin to a coiled
rubber band
when these knots eventually twist and
snap the pent-up energy is released into
space
if Earth finds itself in the wrong place
at the wrong time during such an energy
discharge events like geomagnetic storms
can unfold
[Music]
the last time a strong solar wind
hurricane washed over Earth was in 1859
the Carrington event the largest
geomagnetic storm ever observed on Earth
September 1st 1859
a powerful storm started Gathering force
on the surface of the Sun
it's the beginning of the most violent
explosion in our solar system
in a matter of minutes a blazing Ark
began its Ascent from the surface of the
Sun
surpassing the size of Earth multiple
times over
at some time during noon on that very
day
the ark finally reached its breaking
point and a huge mass of solar material
was ejected into space
only one slight problem
it was pointed squarely at Earth
the event however hadn't gone unnoticed
an English astronomer by the name of
Richard Carrington was independently
observing the sun using his telescope
when he suddenly noticed something odd
through his lens he spots two bright
flashes of light bursting onto the
surface of the Sun
however lacking a comprehensive
understanding of this newfound
phenomenon he failed to grasp the
significance of what had just transpired
he moves on and resumes his study of the
Sun as usual believing that there was no
sign that anything should be amiss
but although he didn't realize it then
Richard Carrington had just witnessed
the beginning of something that would
eventually become the most intense solar
storm in all of human history
racing at a velocity of around 2 000
kilometers per second the solar Outburst
hurdled closer to Earth with every
passing minute on track to make impact
within the next 18 hours
as Darkness enveloped half the globe the
majority of the population remained
blissfully oblivious to the imminent
disaster that would unfold in the hours
to come
it is September the 2nd 1859 the Earth
is finally struck by a powerful solar
storm
observers from around the globe are
treated to its arrival
particles from the solar Outburst
energize the atoms present in the upper
layers of Earth's atmosphere
giving rise to a mysterious glow in the
night sky at various locations
reports indicate that that night these
lights now known as auroras or Northern
or Southern Lights were visible even
down to Regions such as Europe North
America and even as far as Mexico and
Cuba
people woke up at night confused and
still tired they were sure it was
already mourning since it was so bright
outside
but when they peered out of their
Windows they discovered it wasn't the
sunlight
the skies were lit by countless intense
auroras red green and purple
people gathered and gazed upwards
terrified and awestruck in equal measure
many people around the world had never
seen an aurora before so they were
unsure of how to interpret the sky's
unusual brightness
for almost a week those living in the
northeastern part of the United States
could read a newspaper just using the
Aurora's light
the vast majority had no idea what they
were witnessing and only surmised it to
be the end of the world
however as mesmerizing as the auroras
were an unsettling occurrence had
unfolded
the telegraph which was the sole
communication system at the time had
caught fire along the lines at several
places
the intense surge of solar energy
overloaded the telegraph lines causing
widespread fires and electrical
malfunctions at multiple points along
the network
with the telegraph system paralyzed
communication breakdowns caused
confusion delays and economic losses
emergency responses were hindered and
families separated by distance couldn't
connect during the crisis adding to
their worries
the aftermath was Dire the collapse of
the telegraph system induced disruptions
that persisted for several days
but shockingly in certain regions there
were reports that people could still use
their devices and send and receive
messages as if an electric charge
coursed through the air
in the majority of cases however there
were operators who encountered electric
shocks while handling their devices with
Telegraph pylons crackling with Sparks
repairing the lines consumed months of
dedicated effort
people simply couldn't wrap their heads
around what was happening and back then
very few people knew that the sun was to
blame for the chaos
the event marked our first silent
warning
a clear indication that our otherwise
peaceful Star located 90 million miles
away from us and visible to us every day
possessed the power to disrupt our way
of life and communication
fortunately in those days our Reliance
on electricity and electronics was
minimal
so we were lucky enough to escape with
such a small warning
by looking back in time you'll quickly
realize that it's nothing short of a
miracle just how narrowly and closely we
have escaped numerous technological and
economic doomsday scenarios that could
have Arisen from the Sun
May 15 1921
the 1921 railroad storm of New York also
known as the great railroad storm stands
as another witness of the horrors that
space weather can wreak
in the early 1920s railroads were the
vital arteries and lifelines of
transportation and commerce connecting
cities and industries across vast
distances
Telegraph communication was an essential
tool for coordinating train schedules
managing operations and ensuring the
safety of passengers and cargo
May 15 1921 changed everything
a colossal solar storm erupted from the
sun's surface unleashing a powerful
burst of solar plasma towards Earth
the burst was so massive and energetic
that it disrupted the Earth's magnetic
field in minutes upon impact
as the solar Storm's charged particles
interacted with the Earth's magnetic
field powerful induced currents surged
through the extensive Telegraph Network
that ran parallel to the Rail lines
Telegraph operators stationed in
railroad hubs suddenly found their
communication lines plagued by intense
interference
messages became garbled and crucial
instructions were lost amidst the
chaotic signals
the disruption of telegraph
communication had severe consequences
for the smooth functioning of the
railroad system train schedules became
erratic and unreliable causing delays
and confusion for passengers and Freight
dispatchers struggled to relay critical
information and the coordination of
train movements became a formidable
challenge
March 13 1989
130 years later on March 13
1989 the sun Unleashed its power once
again with repercussions even more
profound
this time the entire Canadian province
of Quebec was blacked out once again the
massive influx of electrical currents
and charged particles from the Sun
overwhelmed the transmission lines and
caused a cascading failure across the
province's power grid
within seconds the entire electrical
network was compromised and Quebec was
left in complete darkness
more than 6 million people were left
without electricity for several hours
with frigid winter conditions adding to
the challenge
the outage brought life to a standstill
disrupting Transportation Systems
shutting down businesses and leaving
residents stranded in buildings and
elevators the lack of electricity also
resulted in the shutdown of water
treatment plants leaving citizens
without access to clean water
the impact of the blackout even extended
Beyond Quebec's borders affecting parts
of the Northeastern United States as
well but while the American grid was
more resilient the interconnected nature
of the Power Systems meant that the
disturbances could have easily spread
across the region highlighting the
vulnerability of interconnected
electrical Networks
as darkness and silence blanketed the
cities during that night they resembled
nothing more than Eerie ghost towns
some regions had their power restored
within a few hours While others took
several days to recover
July 23 2012.
a modern day wake-up call resounded in
2012 when the end of the Mayan calendar
stirred widespread fears of an asteroid
Collision that could extinguish all Life
as We Know It
although nothing like that happened fate
however took a different course and
something truly unexpected did take
place that year on July 23 2012 the
scariest chain of events overtook our
entire solar system
two enormous bursts of charged outbursts
were released by the sun
expansive electrified gas clouds rapidly
expanded and raced outward
fortunately our planet was present on
the other side at the time of this
eruption however had this event occurred
just nine days earlier our planet would
have been squarely in the path of that
storm
it could have taken as much as a decade
to fully regain normalcy and an
onslaught of major disruptions to
electronics Communications and power
grids on the ground to Aviation
equipment and satellites in the sky
would have been inevitable
even the depths of the ocean would not
have been spared
with underwater online communication
cables facing destruction the world
would have plunged into a month's long
internet apocalypse
with estimated damages reaching billions
if not trillions of dollars
total Havoc would ensue on the ground in
the sky and beneath the waves
and the truth is some countries might
still be grappling with the aftermath of
that powerful solar wind even to this
day
given our ever-expanding Reliance on
technology the rapid pace of scientific
advancements and our Ambitions in space
exploration it's becoming increasingly
apparent that underestimating the sun's
impact on Earth is a blunder Humanity
can no longer afford
realization of the sun's capacity to
influence our way of life has brought us
face to face with a new kind of
burgeoning field heliophysics
data from the sun's exterior scientists
globally have started monitoring and
modeling these fields as they erupt all
around the sun's surface twisting and
looping
plasma Rising toward the surface follows
these magnetic field lines which can
sometimes stifle the rising columns
forming relatively cool patches
that's where sunspots form
each Sunspot can be anywhere from 15
kilometers in size to around 160
000 kilometers that's 10 times the size
of Earth
four centuries ago with the Advent of
telescopes in the 17th century
astronomers worldwide gained the ability
to closely observe the sun's surface
not knowing that looking at our very own
star would damage his eyesight Galileo
Galilei pointed his telescope towards
the Sun
governed that the sun has dark moving
spots he called them sunspots
Galileo's telescopic observations of
sunspots marked a turning point in the
systematic study of the Sun
he was the first to argue that these
blotches were actually on the sun's
surface though he suspected they were
clowns
he made several other groundbreaking
observations leading to the realization
that the sun was not a perfect
unblemished spear but a dynamic entity
with its own set of mysteries
the nature of these sunspots remained
unclear until 1908 when astronomer
George Ellery Hale demonstrated the link
between them and magnetic fields
over time scientists have carefully
studied the peculiar shapes of sunspots
in their quest for understanding
what they didn't see until recently was
the pressure building around them
using data from the solar and
heliospheric Observatory Soho scientists
are learning to read undulations on the
surface of the Sun the results of
pressure waves ricocheting through its
volume
like the study of earthquakes on Earth
this field called Helio seismology is a
window into the movements of gases
inside the sun
it can also generate predictions of
sunspots including those forming on the
far side
detectors aboard the Soho spacecraft
have managed to catch the movement when
the energy capped by a sunspot is
suddenly released a shock wave travels
rapidly outward like a solar tsunami
with enough Force to circle the star
that signals the start of a coronal mass
ejection or a CME a coronal mass
ejection is a powerful event on the sun
where it releases a huge burst of
charged particles magnetic fields and
plasma into space
with a Corona graph to block out the
bright light of the sun we can see how
violent our sun can get
if a CME is detected blasting out from
behind this artificial Eclipse you know
that our satellites and Power Systems on
Earth are going to get hit hard
especially if it's been launched in the
direction of where Earth will be in its
orbit in about 24 to 36 hours
when solar winds of a coronal mass
ejection event hit Earth it's an
entirely different story they'll
severely compress Earth's magnetic field
as they pass creating an intense
geomagnetic storm and when a magnetic
field line breaks the charged particles
trapped in it travel back to Earth
inducing electrical currents into the
Earth's surface and anything running
over it such as power lines
it'll also pack the boundary of Earth
with solar plasma
as this plasma interacts with Earth's
magnetic field turbulence emerges along
its Leading Edge cracks begin to form
puncturing and creating openings in
Earth's protective shield enabling the
entry of vast amounts of radioactive
particles into the atmosphere
these particles originate from another
phenomena known as solar flares
these coronal mass ejections are not
isolated events instead they often
coincide with something known as solar
flares
a solar flare can be conceptualized as a
volatile eruption transpiring on the
sun's surface varying in duration from
minutes to hours
players materialize as surges of charged
radioactive particles and x-rays
hurtling towards space at the speed of
light large solar flares can release
enough energy to power the entire United
States for a million years
and to better understand their nature
scientists have classified flares
according to their strength
the smallest ones are b-class followed
by c m and X as the largest
similar to the Richter scale for
earthquakes each letter represents a
tenfold increase in energy output
an X is 10 times an m and 100 times a c
within each letter class there's an even
finer scale from one to nine
C-Class flares are too weak to
noticeably affect Earth
in class flares can induce momentary
radio blackouts at the poles and minor
radiation storms that might jeopardize
astronauts
it's the x-class flares that are the
real powerhouses
although X is the highest letter on the
scale
some flares go even Beyond nine in their
strength
the Carrington event was an x-45 class
flare
Quebec blackout was an X 1.4 class
and the solar storm of 2012 was an x-28
class flare
the Carrington storm of 1859 is the
largest recorded solar storm ever
recorded the existence of solar flares
stronger than this is anyone's best
guess
a powerful x-class flare like that today
could create long-lasting radiation
storms which can harm satellites and
even get airline passengers flying near
the Pole's radiation doses
is what happened in 2016 to Marie Moe a
cyber security researcher Mo felt her
pacemaker glitch while on a plane to
Amsterdam a muscle in her chest started
to Twitch
she looked down and the muscle was
visibly pulsating
Mo alerted the cabin crew who arranged
for an ambulance to be ready and waiting
for her at the airport
the pacemaker was examined as she landed
and its data was found to be bizarrely
corrupted
once she was discharged from hospital
she received a detailed report from her
pacemakers manufacturer about what had
happened
inside the pacemaker's computer memory
data is stored in the form of bits often
referred to as ones and zeros one of
these crucial bits had inexplicably
flipped or reversed triggering the
pacemaker to shift in to backup mode and
restore her heart rate to a default
rhythm of 70 beats per minute
although Mo believed that radioactive
particles from solar flares caused the
issue with her device the link was never
approved and will never be proved since
these particles leave no measurable
fingerprints behind
a similar bit flip incident occurred
during a 2008 Qantas Airways flight over
Western Australia
the aircraft dropped hundreds of feet
twice within 10 minutes resulting in
injuries to dozens of passengers on
board
some suffered bruises to their limbs
While others struck their hands against
the cabin's interior once again the link
was never proven
similarly for decades the phenomenon of
U.S military mines exploding in Vietnam
due to solar effects remained a mystery
until someone finally connected the dots
a new study accepted by the Journal
space weather has proposed a possible
explanation for this enigmatic wartime
event
according to the researchers the mines
were likely triggered by a powerful
solar storm which activated the mine's
magnetic sensors and resulted in
unexpected explosions
many of these mines that a detonated
randomly were classified as magnetic
influence sea mines designed to detect
alterations in the magnetic field caused
by passing ships
in the days leading up to the explosions
a sunspot region known as
mr-11976 Unleashed a series of brilliant
flares energetic particles and
earth-directed ejecta
the coronal mass ejection from the Sun
reached Earth in just 14.6 hours
it was an incredible coincidence that
baffled military historians and
scientists alike
Global radio blackouts and radiation
storms in the upper atmosphere are also
not uncommon consequences of severe
x-class flares
additionally extensive mobile phone
outages and Transformer explosions have
been reported in regions affected by
strong flares in the past
disruptions can hamper satellite
operations interrupt radio
communications and pose a risk to
astronauts in space
imagine astronauts standing on the
moon's surface focused on their mission
conducting experiments taking samples
but suddenly the Tranquility is
shattered as a burst of energy erupts
from the Sun a coronal mass ejection the
moon lacking a significant atmosphere
and a global magnetic field like Earths
offers minimal protection against these
intense space weather events
these lethal radiation doses could pose
both immediate and long-term health
risks to the astronauts potentially
leading to radiation sickness and an
elevated risk of cancer over time
in such a crucial scenario the lunar
module would serve as their sole Refuge
these structures were designed to
withstand the normal radiation levels
encountered on the moon during their
missions however with no other option
and the sudden occurrence of a solar
storm might compel the crew to seek
shelter within the most shielded
sections of their habitat
fortunately the Apollo missions did not
encounter such extreme solar events they
were meticulously scheduled to avoid
periods of heightened solar activity
however as WE peer into the future of
space exploration including extended
lunar or Martian missions comprehending
and mitigating the risks posed by space
weather events like solar storms would
be essential developing Advanced
radiation shielding and early Warning
Systems will stand as crucial elements
in ensuring the safety and success of
astronauts embarking on these remarkable
Journeys beyond our planet
as for astronauts aboard the
International Space Station which has
been orbiting Earth since the year 2000
NASA made sure the station is heavily
shielded
Additionally the ISS orbits within
Earth's protective magnetic field
nevertheless despite our preparations
the reality is that Earth's magnetic
field strength has gradually declined
over the past 200 years
weakening by approximately 10 percent
during this period
this trend has sparked several concerns
among scientists about the potential
implications for our planet's defense
against future solar storms
if Earth's magnetic field continues to
weaken it may reach a juncture where it
becomes less effective in safeguarding
our planet from these rapidly
accelerated charged solar particles
Magnetic storms of the same level could
become more severe and pose greater
challenges to our technological
infrastructure
therefore today it's more important than
ever to predict solar storms in advance
and know when the next big flare may
occur
scientists and astrophysicists posit
that by seeking Insight from the sun's
surface itself we can uncover valuable
Clues to predict solar storms
because intriguingly our sun exhibits a
fascinating long-term pattern that
appears to come and go not randomly but
with a striking consistency
this pattern created by the sun spots
themselves is called the sunspot cycle
and a single cycle lasts for about 11
years
it can be as short as eight or as long
as 14 years and it can vary dramatically
in intensity
during one cycle the number of sunspots
a good indicator of solar activity goes
from low to high and back down to low
solar minimum represents a time when
Sunspot numbers are relatively low
and solar maximum represents a period
when Sunspot numbers are relatively High
during this cycle the location of the
sunspots also changes they tend to be
situated at middle latitudes during
solar maximum gradually shifting closer
to the Equator as the sun approaches
solar minimum at times of solar minimum
sunspots may even be absent from
observation while solar maximum can
witness the presence of multiple
sunspots simultaneously
the number of sunspots is important
because sun spots are the visual markers
of where powerful magnetic fields can
emerge from the sun's interior
as discussed these magnetic fields power
solar flares and coronal mass ejections
which can affect Earth and other objects
in the solar system as these sunspots
increase on the sun's surface so does
the frequency and severity of flares and
CMEs
the sun's 11-year cycle is a symptom of
a longer 22-year cycle called the solar
cycle or hail cycle which affects the
sun's magnetic fields
every 11 years the sun's poles flip
North becomes South and South becomes
North
consequently every 22 years the poles
return to their original position where
the cycle began
the flip is due to the complex movement
of magnetic fields inside the Sun that
are constantly stretching twisting and
Crossing as solar material bubbles up
from the sun's core
but the exact pattern of movements is
not yet mapped out
how's the Sunspot Cycle follows a
similar pattern regardless of the
orientation of the poles it only takes
half as long as the solar cycle
the two cycles are different but the 11
year sunspot cycle is what is often
referred to as the solar cycle
right now the sun is approaching solar
maximum which is the current solar cycle
25.
so flares and CMEs are more common than
they were a few years ago
consequently you might have come across
numerous news articles discussing these
phenomena
NASA even maintains a dedicated website
where you can keep track of them
yourself
the current solar cycle is expected to
Peak in 2025.
recognizing this urgency explains why
NASA and governments around the world
are taking space weather forecasts
seriously
and to avoid being caught off guard they
have declared space weather forecasts to
be a priority in the development of
science
the UK government for instance has
listed severe space weather as one of
the highest priority natural hazards in
the National risk register
solar storms are now included on the UK
National risk register of civil
emergencies and the meteorological
office is tasked with monitoring and
forecasting space weather events
the perceived risks associated with
space weather events are rated as having
high impact and likelihood
in response UK scientists are currently
working on developing the first space
weather monitor the country has seen in
a generation
the monitor will help scientists predict
when and where solar storms will occur
allowing them to warn and protect Earth
from the potential damage caused by
these events
in the UK the National Grid has been
replacing high voltage Transformers with
newer designs which are more resilient
to extracurrent surges the strategy in
the UK is that if a large CME is
expected they will turn on as much of
the 8 000 kilometers of UK power lines
as possible to dump the extra energy
over the entire system and drain it back
to Earth
rather than allowing it to overload a
few Key System areas costing costly and
lengthy repairs
in the United States the government has
taken substantial measures to prepare
for the potential impact of a Carrington
level solar storm
one of the central elements of these
efforts is the establishment of
comprehensive monitoring and early
warning systems
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration NOAA operates the space
weather prediction center
swpc in Boulder Colorado
this Center closely monitors solar
activity and issues alerts and forecasts
regarding potential solar storms
detected solar storm information is then
disseminated to various user groups
ranging from Airlines and the electric
power grid to emergency managers and the
aviation satellite community
the United States Geological Survey USGS
monitors the Earth's magnetic field at
14 ground-based observatories positioned
across the United States and its
territories
scientists continuously monitor the
geomagnetic field throughout the nation
providing information on magnetic storm
intensity
remarkably some USGS observatories have
been operational for over a century
in 2016 President Obama signed an
executive order aimed at orchestrating
Endeavors to ready the nation for space
weather incidents
this directive's objective is to curtail
economic losses Safeguard lives and
enhance National Security
it mandates the establishment of
comprehensive Nationwide response and
Recovery strategies an interweaving
Technologies designed to alleviate the
impacts of space weather phenomena
these measures undertaken are necessary
since comparing the economic impact of
solar storms to some famous natural
disasters in the United States alone
provides a stark realization of their
potential consequences
the cost associated with solar storms
could surpass that of the top 10 natural
disasters in the U.S combined including
events like Hurricane Katrina hurricane
Harvey and wildfires that have ravaged
the nation in recent years
natural disasters have never known
borders drawn by humans and in the end
it's all down to the individual
countries and their power companies to
make sure that when the once in a
hundred years CME comes along the lights
won't go out
it is truly said that no Nation can ever
be fully prepared for such a violent
scenario
scientists worry that one big problem
with solar flares is that it has no
upper limit making them an unpredictable
and formidable force to reckon with
the sheer scale of Destruction it can
unleash is beyond human comprehension
an x-class flare can trigger one of the
largest CMEs that can blast a billion
tons of matter out at speeds of 3 000
kilometers per second or 1900 miles per
second
a large enough CME can also expand in
size as it propagates away from the Sun
and then quadruple in size by the time
it reaches our planet
a single CME is able to hold and release
energy equal to 10 billion one Megaton
nuclear bombs or equal to millions of
years worth of electricity usage by
Humanity in just a few weeks
according to NASA the sun generates
anything from one CME every week to
several per day depending on where we
are in this 11-year cycle of activity
currently each year Earth experiences
thousands of solar flares and CMEs on
average
thanks to Earth's strong magnetic field
or magnetosphere the majority of CMEs
pass by our planet unnoticed by the
general population or we avoid them
completely by not being in their path
among the various solar flares produced
by the sun most are small C-Class and
m-class flares
however every once in a while we do
encounter x-class flares accompanied by
large coronal mass ejections most of the
time we have been lucky not to be in
their path
estimates vary but many believe that a
Carrington level event might strike
Earth on average once every 150 years
over 160 years have passed since then by
some measures we are overdue
the question has now shifted from if to
rather when
the day a Carrington level event strikes
Our Generation could be blindsided by an
unprecedented catastrophe for which we
are currently utterly unprepared
in the world we live in today we have
thousands of important satellites
orbiting above
2022 despite warnings from space
organizations many SpaceX satellites
fell from the sky during solar flares
they have lost 50 million dollars worth
of satellites to geomagnetic storms
in the future too if a large enough
storm strikes Satellites May plummet
from the sky due to lack of control and
orbital guidance
on the ground the potential damage to
North America's power grid would be
unimaginable
Transformers which are extremely
expensive to build make Power
transmission possible however when a CME
sweeps across earth these towers
designed to handle AC currents are
instead flooded with DC currents
this may cause them to overheat melt or
even explode as was the case in 1989 in
Quebec Canada
Life as we know it would come to a halt
cellular towers would begin to fail
anything reliant on local power from
your cell phone charger to critical
infrastructure would become inoperable
this includes Last Mile Communications
as well such as cable TV or Internet
in the absence of lighting certain
individuals might find a window of
opportunity to engage in disruptive
activities
you may be familiar with accounts of
increased theft and burglaries occurring
during power outages
the absence of usual lights and security
systems would create a more conducive
environment for illicit actions to take
place
the usual sense of safety would
disappear once the streets that used to
be bustling with light become shadowy
alleys
unbridled Panic buying and widespread
looting from stores further exasperating
the challenges faced during such times
and irrespective of the balance on your
card its monetary value becomes zero as
ATMs would cease to function rendering
it temporarily inaccessible
the Contemporary economy would grind to
a halt in the absence of electricity
moreover in many cities water
distribution depends on electric pumps
if the power goes out water becomes
unavailable
plus imagine the turmoil at the
hospitals and other locations given that
the majority of our medical
infrastructure depends on electricity
and the internet
imagine the situation of the people who
would need critical life support systems
that are powered by electricity
hospitals could theoretically lose
access to patient information
military and Defense Forces rely heavily
on real-time communication for strategic
decision-making coordination between
units and sharing critical intelligence
solar storms can disrupt radio
frequencies and satellite communication
potentially leading to delays or even
failures in transmitting crucial
information
in this setting a soldier on the verge
of a life or death moment would be alone
devoid of any communication
the storm's impact would extend to
additional areas with approximately 10
000 airplanes navigating the sky's
simultaneously each reliant on GPS for
precision the prospect of their
navigation systems going blank would
mark an unprecedented catastrophe
while a fraction of flights might manage
to land safely a substantial number
would find themselves in Dire Straits
this upheaval might not be fleeting the
aftermath could leave a lasting scar
power grids could suffer irreparable
harm unless preemptively shut down to
Shield them from the oncoming storm
given the immense scale of some Power
Systems experts speculate that the worst
case scenario could necessitate up to a
decade for a full recovery
a separate 2008 report from the National
Academy of Sciences Nas theorized that a
moderatively severe geomagnetic storm
could leave a hundred thirty million
Americans without power
according to FEMA power grids on the
east and west coasts of America would be
hardest hit
furthermore it's interesting how natural
disasters often Trace back to solar
storms
researchers have noticed a pattern
earthquakes tend to Surge during times
of intense solar activity
this might explain the massive magnitude
9.1 earthquake in 2004 which not only
shook the ground but also triggered a
devastating tsunami in Indonesia the
impact was felt across India Thailand
Bangladesh the Maldives Sri Lanka and
Somalia
resulting in a staggering loss of life
over 283
000 people gone more than 14 000 missing
and more than a million left homeless
a few months earlier the sun had erupted
with a massive x-class solar flare
if we are not prepared the consequences
will be dire
The World At Large will be thrown into
chaos
because compared to the early 20th
century we are much more advanced and
dependent on electricity
scientists have been warning about this
for a long time
perhaps the present moment could be
opportune for prioritizing the
protection and investment of tax funds
into our electrical infrastructure
because in our modern world it isn't a
problem of the past it's a problem that
is more relevant today than ever before
we survived the recent pandemic by using
remote work Solutions but these tools
would be essentially useless in case of
a geomagnetic storm
the scale of the event would be unlike
anything Humanity would have ever
encountered
a moderately severe storm would cost the
U.S economy 2.6 trillion dollars in
total and Recovery could take up to 10
years as per an Nas report
in short a solar storm of a Carrington
level event would literally bring our
high-tech Society to its knees
dealing with space weather is no walk in
the park
and no matter how much we unravel no
matter how many various models foresee
various outcomes one lingering question
is always asked when will the next solar
storm strike
trying to predict when the next
Carrington level event will strike is
like aiming at a moving Target
though the estimates vary many experts
agree that people born after the 90s
will likely experience an extraordinary
solar storm at some point in their
future
as for exact timing it's a puzzle we're
still piecing together
the Space Age marked a new era in solar
astronomy
satellites like the solar maximum
Mission smm launched in the 1980s
provided an unprecedented view of solar
flares and eruptions in various
wavelengths
the solar and heliospheric Observatory
and the Solar Dynamics Observatory have
continued this Legacy
offering real-time insights into the
sun's magnetic activity solar wind and
other Dynamic processes
ready to face the raw power of an
x-class flare directed at our planet
NASA and NOAA are always on high alert
keeping a close watch on the Sun
NASA's heliophysics Fleet of spacecraft
has Our Stars surrounded giving us a
clearer picture of its activities
this comprehensive view helps scientists
predict and track space weather events
like flares and dramatic chronal Mass
ejections with greater accuracy
with a heads up governments and
companies can take steps to protect
their Tech and prevent worst case
scenarios
for years scientists at Nasa have wanted
to get up close and personal with the
sun and now they're doing just that with
the Parker solar probe set to give us
unprecedented insights
by 2025 it's supposed to make actual
contact with the sun blazing at speeds
up to 690
000 kilometers per hour or 430 000 miles
per hour making it the fastest thing
humans have ever built
Beyond this the probe has already flown
close enough to the Sun to detect the
fine structure of the solar wind close
to where it is generated at the sun's
surface revealing details that are lost
as the wind exits the corona as a
uniform blast of charged particles
NASA also envisions a future where solar
storm Sirens could be employed sounding
alarms and power stations and satellite
control centers worldwide similar to how
tornado sirens alert communities to
impending terrestrial weather events
to achieve this they are developing a
model known as dagger deep learning
geomagnetic perturbation
this model employs artificial
intelligence to analyze data from
spacecraft observations of the solar
wind the researchers have applied an AI
method called Deep learning which trains
computers to recognize patterns based on
previous samples and can provide a lead
time of 30 minutes for an impending
solar storm anywhere on Earth giving
enough time for critical systems to be
shut down or protected dagger was put to
the test using data from two geomagnetic
storms that occurred in August 2011 and
March 2015.
impressively in each case daggers
swiftly and accurately predicted the
storm's Global impact
the method's Precision is such that the
model can generate predictions in less
than a second with updates provided
every minute according to the team's
findings
but it's captivating to think that
despite our technological leaps we're
still at the mercy of the celestial
eruptions there's virtually nothing we
can do to physically halt a massive
solar flare hurtling towards us
however despite the obvious challenges
it's not all gloom and doom unlike the
occurrences in 1859 1921 1989 and 2012
we are in a much much better position to
anticipate a geomagnetic Storm's arrival
but how we respond to this warning would
shape the aftermath of such an event a
Swift and coordinated response would
involve temporarily taking offline any
systems that might be susceptible to
damage during the event
according to experts in this best case
scenario a Carrington level event might
cause about a week of significant
disruption worldwide
on the other hand there's the worst case
scenario in which we're ill-prepared or
caught unaware by a sudden Carrington
level event
the result would be one of the most
massive blackouts in history a
simultaneous loss of power communication
breakdowns and the collapse of most
modern technology
we're entering the riskiest phase of
solar activity in this whole decade the
solar maximum of the year 2025.
what if a really strong solar storm
happens soon will we have any options
on a personal level it's wise to take
precautions outlined by the U.S
government's National Weather Service in
case of an emergency
it includes keeping your car's gas tank
at least half full as gas stations rely
on electricity to operate pumps
store extra batteries for your phone or
consider getting a solar powered or hand
crank charger
if you have a traditional landline phone
ensure you have a non-cordless receiver
this type of phone will work even
without power
regularly duplicate critical digital
data and information and establish a
family contact sheet with an out of town
contact who could assist in connecting
family members during an emergency
some key actions involve staying indoors
following local authorities instructions
and contributing to your community
by doing this collectively we can Shield
ourselves from even the most severe
storms to some extent
after a week normalcy could gradually
return
if we manage the disaster effectively
the aftermath could be considerably less
costly compared to other natural
calamities like hurricanes or
earthquakes
nevertheless preparedness is Paramount
asteroids heading for the Earth are
always kept an eye on
these solar storms are quiet they strike
in the darkness and pose a threat to the
entire modern civilization
in addition to the familiar natural
disasters such as Cyclones Rising floods
and volcanic eruptions there is a new
type of danger up there in space one
we've recently discovered
space weather should be more concerning
than it is
we are destined to share our existence
with our son for countless more
Millennia and with each new day as the
sun rises above the horizon
it's just another reminder that we are
living with a star
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
Click on any text or timestamp to jump to that moment in the video
Share:
Most transcripts ready in under 5 seconds
One-Click Copy125+ LanguagesSearch ContentJump to Timestamps
Paste YouTube URL
Enter any YouTube video link to get the full transcript
Transcript Extraction Form
Most transcripts ready in under 5 seconds
Get Our Chrome Extension
Get transcripts instantly without leaving YouTube. Install our Chrome extension for one-click access to any video's transcript directly on the watch page.
Works with YouTube, Coursera, Udemy and more educational platforms
Get Instant Transcripts: Just Edit the Domain in Your Address Bar!
YouTube
←
→
↻
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc
YoutubeToText
←
→
↻
https://youtubetotext.net/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc