Comments on: Is the U.S. Ready for a Solar Storm? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/ Where science collides with life, slams into culture, crashes with politics, and gets totaled. Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:28:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Erasmussimo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17966 Erasmussimo Fri, 29 May 2009 18:59:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17966 Let's differentiate between transformer destruction and electronics destruction. The latter requires a completely different problem called an EMP ("Electromagnetic Pulse") which is a sudden, sharp event, not at all what we get from a CME. Thus, although we'd lose power systems, the electronic devices would not be affected by a CME. Let’s differentiate between transformer destruction and electronics destruction. The latter requires a completely different problem called an EMP (“Electromagnetic Pulse”) which is a sudden, sharp event, not at all what we get from a CME. Thus, although we’d lose power systems, the electronic devices would not be affected by a CME.

]]> By: Northseeker http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17916 Northseeker Fri, 29 May 2009 03:30:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17916 The meltdown of the power grids would be one very bad event, but only a small part of the bigger problem of reducing most all of our electronic gear to rubble. Just about everything depends on small computers. What would it be like without GPS, cash registers, credit card machines, phone systems, cars, trucks, planes and trains? What about bank transactions, controls for nuclear arsenals and computerized armies? Can anyone name a device our society depends upon that is not computerized and therefore very susceptible to such massive magnetic charges? Those living without modern conveniences will fair the best. Ironic, to say the least. The meltdown of the power grids would be one very bad event, but only a small part of the bigger problem of reducing most all of our electronic gear to rubble. Just about everything depends on small computers. What would it be like without GPS, cash registers, credit card machines, phone systems, cars, trucks, planes and trains? What about bank transactions, controls for nuclear arsenals and computerized armies? Can anyone name a device our society depends upon that is not computerized and therefore very susceptible to such massive magnetic charges? Those living without modern conveniences will fair the best. Ironic, to say the least.

]]> By: opossum http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17875 opossum Thu, 28 May 2009 14:34:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17875 @MadScientist- You're right about most large families being poor. What I was trying to say is, the impact on society that any large family makes isn't strictly economical. Just because a household supports itself financially doesn't mean it isn't a detriment to our resources. @MadScientist- You’re right about most large families being poor. What I was trying to say is, the impact on society that any large family makes isn’t strictly economical. Just because a household supports itself financially doesn’t mean it isn’t a detriment to our resources.

]]> By: Pat Donnelly http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17870 Pat Donnelly Thu, 28 May 2009 13:26:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17870 http://www.etheric.com/LaViolette/Predict.html Electric Universe also good Remember that those who wish to control us want us to fear things so that they can answer those fears. You live your life! How come that we find evidence of past humans living in caves? Join the Troglodytes? http://www.etheric.com/LaViolette/Predict.html
Electric Universe also good

Remember that those who wish to control us want us to fear things so that they can answer those fears.

You live your life!

How come that we find evidence of past humans living in caves? Join the Troglodytes?

]]> By: WCG http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17869 WCG Thu, 28 May 2009 13:14:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17869 No, MadScientist, this IS a big deal. These are huge, multi-million dollar transformers, too expensive to keep many spares around and currently taking months to manufacture new ones (they do fail, sometimes, and it's a very big deal even when it's one at a time). If we lose a bunch at one time, we're toast. We CAN prepare for this, though, if we want to do it. The first thing we need is early warning. Right now, we don't have that. And we need to have procedures and relays in place to trip out these transformers (automatically, since manual tripping would be too slow). Yes, that would likely black out large areas of the country, but only temporarily. If we let our transformers melt down, we'll be black for years. How many people will die with no electricity for YEARS? But will we prepare for this as we should? Doubtful. No utility will do it on their own. Come on, prepare for a disaster BEFORE it's ever happened? And when it will cost big bucks, too? Not a chance. This must be required by governments, or it won't happen at all. No, MadScientist, this IS a big deal. These are huge, multi-million dollar transformers, too expensive to keep many spares around and currently taking months to manufacture new ones (they do fail, sometimes, and it’s a very big deal even when it’s one at a time). If we lose a bunch at one time, we’re toast.

We CAN prepare for this, though, if we want to do it. The first thing we need is early warning. Right now, we don’t have that. And we need to have procedures and relays in place to trip out these transformers (automatically, since manual tripping would be too slow). Yes, that would likely black out large areas of the country, but only temporarily. If we let our transformers melt down, we’ll be black for years. How many people will die with no electricity for YEARS?

But will we prepare for this as we should? Doubtful. No utility will do it on their own. Come on, prepare for a disaster BEFORE it’s ever happened? And when it will cost big bucks, too? Not a chance. This must be required by governments, or it won’t happen at all.

]]> By: MadScientist http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17849 MadScientist Thu, 28 May 2009 06:42:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17849 @opossum: Although I agree that the world is vastly overpopulated and that governments should plan for a controlled gradual reduction in populations, I have to disagree with the notion that people with more money would have more kids. Except for a few notable philanderers, rich folk usually have fewer kids and HUGE families are often poor folk. @opossum: Although I agree that the world is vastly overpopulated and that governments should plan for a controlled gradual reduction in populations, I have to disagree with the notion that people with more money would have more kids. Except for a few notable philanderers, rich folk usually have fewer kids and HUGE families are often poor folk.

]]> By: MadScientist http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17848 MadScientist Thu, 28 May 2009 06:36:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17848 We've been noticing the effects of Coronal Mass Ejections on earth at least since shortly after WW2. I'm talking about power grids being knocked out. Who knows how long people have been noticing one of the other effects (aurorae). All of Canada is more susceptible to the problem than, say, New York and Massachussets. Given the two major power failures in New York in the past 40-something years (the last one being only a few years ago), we do have a pretty good idea of what will happen. I don't think the general public cares nor wants to know nor really needs to know of problems associated with CMEs (although I wouldn't complain about a good program about it so that curious people at least have a chance of hearing about it). As long as the power companies have a plan to put in effect when the power grid is whacked by this phenomenon again (there is nothing to do but restore power distribution when the magnetic disturbance settles down) and people operating critical radio-based services are aware of the possible minutes to hours of radio communications outages in some frequency bands, I don't see any terribly big problem. Hospitals often have their own emergency generators to maintain full operational capacity when grid power is lost, so I don't see any big deal in these events. We’ve been noticing the effects of Coronal Mass Ejections on earth at least since shortly after WW2. I’m talking about power grids being knocked out. Who knows how long people have been noticing one of the other effects (aurorae). All of Canada is more susceptible to the problem than, say, New York and Massachussets. Given the two major power failures in New York in the past 40-something years (the last one being only a few years ago), we do have a pretty good idea of what will happen.

I don’t think the general public cares nor wants to know nor really needs to know of problems associated with CMEs (although I wouldn’t complain about a good program about it so that curious people at least have a chance of hearing about it). As long as the power companies have a plan to put in effect when the power grid is whacked by this phenomenon again (there is nothing to do but restore power distribution when the magnetic disturbance settles down) and people operating critical radio-based services are aware of the possible minutes to hours of radio communications outages in some frequency bands, I don’t see any terribly big problem. Hospitals often have their own emergency generators to maintain full operational capacity when grid power is lost, so I don’t see any big deal in these events.

]]> By: solar panels http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17845 solar panels Thu, 28 May 2009 03:59:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17845 It is time for us to pay attention to space weather i guess. It is time for us to pay attention to space weather i guess.

]]> By: Philip H http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17833 Philip H Wed, 27 May 2009 20:31:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17833 Chris, Clearly the stress of being a student again, publishing a book, trying to save sceince journalism, and keeping up the blog has gotten to you. In your previous incarnation, after all that you'd have done the research and pointed out that NOAA has a <a href="http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/" rel="nofollow">Space Weather Prediction function </a> as part of the National Weather Service. Now, I'll grant you that they are probably underfunded, and the devastation of such an event is likely to be at least as bad as you quote, if not worse. And asking if the Administration is aware is a fair topic, though I think these folks would argue they are doing everything they can to make this issue a priority for the White hOuse. Chris,
Clearly the stress of being a student again, publishing a book, trying to save sceince journalism, and keeping up the blog has gotten to you. In your previous incarnation, after all that you’d have done the research and pointed out that NOAA has a Space Weather Prediction function
as part of the National Weather Service. Now, I’ll grant you that they are probably underfunded, and the devastation of such an event is likely to be at least as bad as you quote, if not worse. And asking if the Administration is aware is a fair topic, though I think these folks would argue they are doing everything they can to make this issue a priority for the White hOuse.

]]> By: Curious Wavefunction http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17830 Curious Wavefunction Wed, 27 May 2009 19:05:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/05/27/is-the-us-ready-for-a-solar-storm/#comment-17830 All we need to do is watch "Knowing" with Nicholas Cage (almost) saving the planet from a freak solar flare. All we need to do is watch “Knowing” with Nicholas Cage (almost) saving the planet from a freak solar flare.

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