Solar Flare Interferes With Radio, But No Big Auroras 37
RedEaredSlider writes "The largest solar flare in several years has disrupted some communications, though it was not in the right position to create auroral displays visible from lower latitudes. The flare, which erupted on Feb. 15, sent what is called a coronal mass ejection, or CME, towards the Earth. A CME is billions of tons of charged particles, mostly protons." Most of the reported disruptions were in China, says the article.
But the auroras were good still (Score:1)
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/02/pictures/110218-solar-flares-aurora-borealis-northern-lights-photography/?source=link_fb20110218arcticnight#/valentines-day-aurora-borealis-bo-norway_32398_600x450.jpg
I heard disruptions too in Europe (Score:4, Interesting)
How many warnings do we need? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:How many warnings do we need? (Score:5, Interesting)
I recently watched an optical fibre being made. I already knew how they were made, but is was amazing how manual and labour intensive the process was.
I just assumed the process of pulling the preform would be far more automated. This looked more like a lab experiment than manufacturing.
Re:How many warnings do we need? (Score:5, Interesting)
You're an idiot. This was as powerful as solar flares get, yet, from TFA:
HF was deprecated for just about all practical uses, as soon as viable alternatives (ie. communications satellites) were introduced. Earthbound wires have been pretty well impervious to solar flares just about forever.
The only real threat solar flares pose is to a few, already-overloaded, electrical transmission circuits which are operating at the edge of their capacity before the unexpected power-boost arrives. Other than that, it's a very insignificant bit of occasional static on the line. Nothing more.
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The only real threat solar flares pose is to a few, already-overloaded, electrical transmission circuits which are operating at the edge of their capacity before the unexpected power-boost arrives.
So basically, most of the lines in the USA? And especially in California, the most populous state?
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It's a problem, but a fixable one. And more importantly, fiber optics won't help...
sounds dirty (Score:4, Funny)
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And was any of this expected to be visible in town? If you happen to live in a small town, I suppose you might see it, but I can't imagine seeing it in a city.
Oddly enough... (Score:1)
...myself and a couple other friends & family members have been having absolute shit for reception on our Satellite radios since at least Wednesday. I can't help but wonder if it's related.
Auroras reported in Northern Canada (Score:4, Informative)
CBC reports Solar storm delivers auroral show [www.cbc.ca].
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Auroras reported in Northern Canada? You mean, on an almost nightly basis throughout the year?
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Point is that the observed Aurora in Yellowknife is abnormal, so just 'cos y'all can't see it down in Texas doesn't mean the solar flare had no effect. But nice troll.
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No, not abnormal
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Not abnormal that they occur. What was abnormal was the intensity... Were you born this stupid or did you have to study?
Sweeeet. Weeks worth of excuses (Score:1)
Power problems? (Score:2)
Any problems reported on anyone's power grids? Extra credit for links to wonky looking oscillograph data.
My PS3 died in China (Score:2)
XM was wonky late afternoon (Score:1)
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GPS went wonky on Friday for me, too, around 4PM.
Terrible accuracy with lots of jitter. That is, when it even worked -- it would drop periodically, sometimes for several minutes. Very strange behavior for a day with clear, blue skies while driving on flat terrain with no obstructions.
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How about VLF? (Score:2)
My Casio Wave Ceptor radio-controlled watch has been having a hard time receiving WWVB's 60KHz signal for the last week. I'm in Oregon, but then late night long-distance transmissions are squirrely by nature.