Solar winds generate charged particles that interact with Earth's magnetic field, disrupting radio communications by affecting the signals transmitted through the atmosphere.
Solar winds are a flow of charged particles, mainly protons and electrons, rushing through space from the solar corona, the ultra-hot outer layer of the Sun. There, extreme temperatures (several million degrees!) and intense activities of the magnetic field constantly release these particles at impressive speeds, up to 800 kilometers per second. This constant flow of solar material travels through space until it reaches the planets — including Earth — pushing the solar magnetic field ahead of it. From time to time, the Sun becomes more agitated in the form of flares or coronal mass ejections (CMEs). And there, you get violent bursts of solar wind that are particularly intense and capable of disrupting quite a bit on their way.
The solar wind continuously rushes towards Earth and encounters a kind of natural shield on its way: the magnetosphere. This is created by the Earth's magnetic field generated at the core of our planet. When these electrically charged solar particles arrive near Earth, they deform and compress this magnetic field on the sun side and stretch it on the opposite side, forming a long magnetic tail. Sometimes, during stronger solar storms, some energetic particles manage to penetrate this magnetosphere. This phenomenon can then disrupt our electromagnetic environment, particularly triggering auroras borealis and australis visible near the poles.
When a solar storm hits the Earth, it sends charged particles at very high speeds directly to the ionosphere, the atmospheric layer that naturally reflects radio waves. These high-energy particles disrupt the normal electrical balance, making the ionosphere unstable and unpredictable. As a result, the radio waves that are supposed to bounce quietly now move chaotically. Some radio frequencies can then be completely absorbed or deflected, disrupting the quality of the reception or even cutting it off entirely. Typically, long-distance communications using short waves (such as certain military or maritime services) become significantly more complicated or even impossible during these solar storm episodes.
Solar winds often disrupt radio transmissions by suddenly altering the ionosphere, the charged atmospheric layer that allows long-distance radio waves to bounce around the globe. When strong solar activity occurs, radio waves become unpredictable or completely blocked, making communications difficult, especially for high frequency (HF) signals widely used by planes and boats. In the most severe cases, even GPS and satellite signals can experience significant errors, posing real safety issues for road, maritime, or aviation traffic. Local terrestrial mobile networks, like those of your mobile phone, are more resilient but not completely immune: during extreme solar storms, even some terrestrial networks can experience temporary outages and interruptions.
A first step is to set up a system for continuous monitoring of the sun: special satellites like DSCOVR measure solar activity in real-time and alert when an eruption is detected. With this information, operators can decide to put their communication systems in "secure" mode or even temporarily shut down certain sensitive equipment to protect them. The agencies responsible for GPS navigation also monitor this data to quickly correct any potential errors caused by ionospheric disturbances. Finally, an appropriate measure is to improve insulation and electromagnetic shielding of radio installations, so that devices are less vulnerable to disturbances caused by solar winds.
The fluctuations of solar wind are continuously monitored by many dedicated satellites, such as the ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) satellite, to proactively prevent impacts on terrestrial and satellite communications.
Astronauts in the International Space Station sometimes have to take refuge in specific areas of the module that are better protected when intense solar winds occur, in order to avoid excessive exposure to radiation.
The northern and southern lights, these magnificent colorful displays visible near the poles, are actually caused by charged particles from the solar wind colliding with particles in the Earth's atmosphere.
In 1859, the Carrington solar storm was so intense that it caused major disruptions to telegraphs, even electrifying the devices and causing spontaneous ignition of papers! Imagine the damage such a storm would cause to our modern networks today.
Space weather refers to the observation and forecasting of environmental conditions in space, particularly solar activity. Monitoring it is crucial as it helps anticipate disturbances that may affect the technological systems we rely on daily.
Yes, other systems may be affected, including communication and positioning satellites (GPS), terrestrial power grids (risk of overload), as well as certain avionics instruments during particularly severe events.
Temporarily shutting down sensitive equipment during periods of intense solar activity may be sufficient for private users. Some amateur radio operators also use interference filters or put their equipment in standby mode when a strong solar storm is forecasted.
The duration of a disturbance depends on the intensity of the solar storm. It can last from a few minutes to several days, with peak disturbances often occurring within the first 12 to 48 hours following the arrival of charged particles on Earth.
Among the main signs are an unusual disruption of radio signals, the appearance of auroras at unusual latitudes, and announcements or alerts issued by space or meteorological agencies indicating intense solar activity.
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