Solar Storms to Peak in Next Two Years and Cause Havoc

The scientists warn that by the next two years the world might have to face a major power failure due to the intense solar storm. Even the communication systems and the satellites would face a major setback due to this unexpected threat from the outer space that brings destruction along with it.

The scientists say that the risk of a massive flare that could harm systems on the earth increase as the sun reaches the peak of its 10-year activity cycle. Experts state that over the next two years a massive solar storm could knock out the power grids, satellites and communications.

Mike Hapgood, who specializes in space weather at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory said, "solar storms are more commonly being placed on national risk registers used for disaster planning along with events such as tsunamis and volcanic eruption." Hapgood warns that while solar flares are rare, and when they happen the consequences on earth could be catastrophic. Magnetically-charged plasma thrown from the surface of the sun can have a significant impact on earth.

Every decade there are chances of nearly 12 percent of a major solar storm. The one occurred 150 years ago.

These geomagnetic storms have the capacity of inducing strong currents in the national power grid that literally melts expensive transformers. One can imagine the plight due to power grid failure with hospitals plunging into darkness, miners trapped, disruption of the transportation, communication, banking, and finance systems, and government services; the breakdown of the distribution of potable water owing to pump failure, and the loss of perish-able foods and medications.

Apart from this even the satellites are at risk of being damaged as the charged particles rip through them at hundreds of miles per second. Radio communications with jetliners can also be knocked out as the solar storm affects the ionosphere, the region of the earth's upper atmosphere through which long-range radio waves travel.

The scientists are regularly monitoring the sun to ensure that when coronal mass ejections take place, we are made aware of them.