Internet Apocalypse: Solar Solar Storm?

What happens if a geomagnetic storm suddenly interrupts the Internet? Scientist from the University of California, Irvine, p^Back Sangeetha Abdu Jyoti believes that large sections of the Violent Solar Storm Web can be taken offline for weeks or even months.

His research was submitted a few weeks ago SIGCOMM brings together experts in computer networks and data transmission during the 2021 conference.

This information about the “Internet Apocalypse” has not been reported or commented on in Quebec.

Solar flares are energy that is released suddenly and heavily on the surface of the sun. They cause air to be charged into the space charged by electromagnetic particles. Sometimes – every century or so – intense solar winds succeed in penetrating the Earth’s magnetic field, which acts as a shield and prevents particle explosions from causing harmful disruptions to our planet and our lives.

Already, the solar storms of 1859 and 1921 disrupted new electrical infrastructure such as telegraph wires. During the enormous “Carrington event” of 1859 – the most powerful solar storm on record – the compass needles began to oscillate erratically and the northern lights appeared up to the equator. Discharges of sparks set fire to the telegraph paper.

Here in Quebec, the extraordinary intensity of the March 13, 1989 solar storm closed the hydro-Quebec grid, causing a nine-hour power outage. These three events took place before the development of modern internet infrastructure.

After three decades of low solar storm activity, p^Back Abdu Jyoti and other researchers believe the potential for another severe solar storm is increasing dramatically.

According to a 2008 National Research Council report, such an event could cause trillions of dollars in damage and it could take up to a decade for us to recover. The economic impact of a single day of internet disruption in the United States is estimated to be over $ 7 billion.

These are submarine cables that support the world’s Internet, which is particularly vulnerable to solar coronal mass ejection. The solar storm will cause massive loss of connectivity, leaving local and regional infrastructure intact. Repeaters are installed at intervals of 50 to 150 km to amplify the optical signal, and submarine cables are threatened by solar storms, which make them inoperable by firing these repeaters.

Submarine cables connect North America and Europe Particularly sensitive to particle storms Due to their length and high latitudes, solar winds are more intense.

Such geomagnetic disturbances of solar origin are very rare and therefore less studied; Priority is given to other threats such as severe weather events or cyber attacks. The pandemic showed us how prepared the world is to deal with planetary disasters.

We have a very limited understanding of the damage caused by a large-scale solar event. Causing global internet failure, P said^Back Abdu Jyoti 2 Wired.

In 2012, a solar storm missed our planet for only nine days. Ejection of solar particles did not occur in the direction of the Earth. When writing for the space atmosphere in 2012, physicist Pete Riley felt that there was 12% chance of a major solar storm On earth for the next 10 years.

When the next great solar storm comes, Earth residents have about 13 hours Prepare for his arrival, according to musician Abdu Jyoti.