NASA Measures Impact of Huge Solar Flare on Earth
Due to a relatively new satellite called SABER, NASA was able to measure the impact of a large solar flare that impacted with the Earth's atmosphere this last week. It was one of the largest solar flares in the last decade, and usually they cause some kind of interference with technology on Earth, but because of the angle that the solar flare hit the atmosphere, the damage was minimal. What is really interesting is that the solar flare heated up the outer atmosphere, and there were large spikes in emission of both carbon dioxide and nitric oxide. Even though solar flares are known to heat up the atmosphere, NASA has not found any direct link of solar flares impacting the climate or weather on Earth. The SABER satellite also allows for the study of atmospheric trends and will be able to examine long term changes in the upper atmosphere. The satellite was meant to run for two years, but has worked without error for ten years, and scientists at NASA are hoping that it will continue to run until the end of the solar season in 2014.
With our class recently discussing global warming, I think that it's interesting that there is potentially another cause for the rising temperatures. Even though NASA has claimed that there have been no direct results of climate change from the solar flares being absorbed in the atmosphere (mainly because the spikes in temperature and C02 do not last for very long), they do not deny that the solar flares could have an impact on Earth's climate and effect the ozone in the future. I personally feel that even if solar flares are effecting our climate, it would be at an extremely minimal rate, and solar flares have been occurring throughout Earth's existence, so nothing out of the ordinary is happening. It's also unsettling knowing that something that is naturally emitted from our sun has the power to negatively alter communications satellites, so much so that NASA usually warns energy companies of large, oncoming solar flares. They are unable to do physical harm to Earth itself, but technology is a large part of our lives.
I agree - this cause of global warming has never occurred to me. Just speculating right now I know, but what if there is an increasing frequency of such flare-ups? Interesting.
ReplyDeleteI really don't like how strong solar flares and solar storms have been getting. It seems like when ever i go to a big website, like Yahoo or AOL they are always talking about solar flares and how they can mess up communication on earth through out the world. It makes you think if Earth will ever be in the path of a big solar flare...
ReplyDeleteI find it fascinating that NASA can measure the impact of a solar flare on the Earth's atmosphere, even though it is not a very good thing. Do you know how NASA measures something like that? I am glad that it did not affect us too much but I am a little worried about the future.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, the frequency of solar flares has been pretty consistent throughout history, with the larger solar flares occurring once about every eleven years.
ReplyDelete