Current:Home > MarketsGeomagnetic storm from a solar flare could disrupt radio communications and create a striking aurora-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Geomagnetic storm from a solar flare could disrupt radio communications and create a striking aurora
View Date:2024-12-23 16:53:28
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Space weather forecasters have issued a geomagnetic storm watch through Monday, saying an ouburst of plasma from a solar flare could interfere with radio transmissions on Earth. It could also make for great aurora viewing.
There’s no reason for the public to be concerned, according to the alert issued Saturday by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.
The storm could interrupt high-frequency radio transmissions, such as by aircraft trying to communicate with distant traffic control towers. Most commercial aircraft can use satellite transmission as backup, said Jonathan Lash, a forecaster at the center.
Satellite operators might have trouble tracking their spacecraft, and power grids could also see some “induced current” in their lines, though nothing they can’t handle, he said.
“For the general public, if you have clear skies at night and you are at higher latitudes, this would be a great opportunity to see the skies light up,” Lash said.
Every 11 years, the sun’s magnetic field flips, meaning its north and south poles switch positions. Solar activity changes during that cycle, and it’s now near its most active, called the solar maximum.
During such times, geomagnetic storms of the type that arrived Sunday can hit Earth a few times a year, Lash said. During solar minimum, a few years may pass between storms.
In December, the biggest solar flare in years disrupted radio communications.
veryGood! (1956)
Related
- 12 college students charged with hate crimes after assault in Maryland
- A Key Climate Justice Question at COP25: What Role Should Carbon Markets Play in Meeting Paris Goals?
- Nordstrom Rack 62% Off Handbag Deals: Kate Spade, Béis, Marc Jacobs, Longchamp, and More
- Passenger says he made bomb threat on flight to escape cartel members waiting to torture and kill him in Seattle, documents say
- Outgoing North Carolina governor grants 2 pardons, 6 commutations
- Tamra Judge Wore This Viral Lululemon Belt Bag on Real Housewives of Orange County
- Twitter suspends several journalists who shared information about Musk's jet
- A $1.6 billion lawsuit alleges Facebook's inaction fueled violence in Ethiopia
- Martha Stewart playfully pushes Drew Barrymore away in touchy interview
- The northern lights could be visible in several states this week. Here's where you might see them.
Ranking
- Why Outer Banks Fans Think Costars Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey Used Stunt Doubles Amid Rumored Rift
- U.S. saw 26 mass shootings in first 5 days of July alone, Gun Violence Archive says
- Long-lost Core Drilled to Prepare Ice Sheet to Hide Nuclear Missiles Holds Clues About a Different Threat
- The Sounds That Trigger Trauma
- Trump's election has women swearing off sex with men. It's called the 4B movement.
- This Is Not a Drill: Save $60 on the TikTok-Loved Solawave Skincare Wand That Works in 5 Minutes
- As Rooftop Solar Rises, a Battle Over Who Gets to Own Michigan’s Renewable Energy Future Grows
- Treat Williams Dead at 71: Emily VanCamp, Gregory Smith and More Everwood Stars Pay Tribute
Recommendation
-
Bo the police K-9, who located child taken at knifepoint, wins Hero Dog Awards 2024
-
The sports ticket price enigma
-
FEMA Knows a Lot About Climate-Driven Flooding. But It’s Not Pushing Homeowners Hard Enough to Buy Insurance
-
Need an apartment? Prepare to fight it out with many other renters
-
After Baltimore mass shooting, neighborhood goes full year with no homicides
-
How the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling could impact corporate recruiting
-
El Paso mass shooter gets 90 consecutive life sentences for killing 23 people in Walmart shooting
-
Was your flight to Europe delayed? You might be owed up to $700.