June 7, 2000 -- Yesterday the orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) recorded a powerful series of solar eruptions including a full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME).
"The halo CME was magnificent," says Gary Heckman, a space weather forecaster at the NOAA Space Environment Center. "Based on [the characteristics of the eruption], this looks like a sure bet to produce a geomagnetic storm." ......
They may sound menacing, but CMEs pose little danger to people on Earth. Our planet's magnetic field serves as an effective shield against solar wind storms. The same familiar force that causes compass needles on Earth to point north also extends far into space. When a CME hits the magnetosphere -- the region around Earth controlled by its magnetic field -- most of the incoming material is deflected away from our planet.
If a gust of solar wind is very strong -- as this one might be -- it can compress the magnetosphere and unleash a geomagnetic storm. In extreme cases, such storms can induce electric currents in the Earth that interfere with electric power transmission equipment. Satellite failures are possible, too. Geomagnetic storms can also trigger beautiful aurorae. These "Northern Lights" are usually seen at high latitudes, but they have been spotted farther south than Florida during intense disturbances. The last time this happened was April 6, 2000.
That was 2000, they were more excited about the aurora you could see than any power failures. Fast forward to today.
Powerful Solar Storm Could Shut Down U.S. for Months
A new study from the National Academy of Sciences outlines grim possibilities on Earth for a worst-case scenario solar storm.
Damage to power grids and other communications systems could be catastrophic, the scientists conclude, with effects leading to a potential loss of governmental control of the situation.
The prediction is based in part on a major solar storm in 1859 that caused telegraph wires to short out in the United States and Europe, igniting widespread fires.
It was perhaps the worst in the past 200 years, according to the new study, and with the advent of modern power grids and satellites, much more is at risk.
Then we have this article:
Don't Blame Sun for Global Warming, Study Says
The sun's energy output varies slightly as sunspots wax and wane on the star's surface.
But sunspot-driven changes to the sun's power are simply too small to account for the climatic changes observed in historical data from the 17th century to the present, research suggests.
The difference in brightness between the high point of a sunspot cycle and its low point is less than 0.1 percent of the sun's total output.
"If you run that back in time to the 17th century using sunspot records, you'll find that this amplitude variance is negligible for climate," Foukal said.
So, the sun is a major player, or it isn't. Then again it might be, maybe if the moons all align at the right time and the sea ice melts, but only if Jupiter is perfectly visible to the naked eye, and nothing will happen if there is cloud cover.
Are all none scientific people, like me, as tired of the scare tactics being used by the eco-nuts as I am?. Oh, and let's not forget about this little threat to our climate....
Alaska volcano is rumbling, but no big bursts
"It looks like a volcano that wants to erupt, and our general impression is that it's more likely to erupt than not," said Tina Neal with the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
As a precaution, Elmendorf Air Force Base near Anchorage, about 160 kilometres northeast of Redoubt, was moving five C-17 cargo planes to McChord Air Force Base in Washington.
"We're just trying to be proactive and protect our assets," said a spokesman.
"Our aircraft support other missions, such as delivering supplies to Iraq and Afghanistan, and this relocation will allow them to still do all those missions even if the volcano does erupt."
On Saturday, geologists observed a quickly growing area of vigorous steaming on the north side of the mountain. Volcanic gas also was detected.
A hole in a glacier clinging to the north side of the volcano had doubled in size since Friday, spanning the length of two football fields.
The area is just below a dome that formed the last time Redoubt blew in 1990.
The signs of heat add to concerns that an eruption is near, which could send an ash cloud about 160 kilometres northeast toward Anchorage, the state's largest city.
An eruption in December 1989 sent an ash cloud 300 kilometres that flamed out the jet engines of a KLM flight carrying 231 passengers on its way to Anchorage.
Pilots were able to restart the engines and land safely.
The observatory last week detected a steep increase in earthquake activity below the volcano, upgrading its alert level to orange, the stage before full eruption.
Hey, but CO2 is the problem, ever though water vapour makes up 95% of greenhouse gases. I'm no scientist, but I can detect BS when I encounter it. Too bad the eco-nuts have no such radar detector.
