Could a solar flare destroy modern civilization?

[Old Rocks]

Are we so arrogant that we can't understand that the Sun is the source of life on Earth? Ice core samples show wild geological fluctuations in clmate ranging through several centuries. A solar flare probably wouldn't burn the asses of modern global warmists too much at first but changes in the sun's energy is what makes the world go around.

And you said what?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I see. Then, QW, you are stating that there are no nuclear plants that such a flare would negatively impact? And there is no possible way to to protect those those switching stations, or at least ameliorate the damage? And what about things that we the citizens could do to protect our electronics?

Why the denial of danger, and refusal to consider appropriate measures to prevent as much damage as we can?

I am saying that protecting against an EMP is actually pretty easy.

 

[Old Rocks]

OK. And are plans in place to do so? If not, why not? Are the protocals for the neccessary decisions in place? Who the decisions will be made by, and the time frame for those decisions? These are not hard things to do. Just a matter of clear decisions, and lines of command and communication.

 

[whitehall]

Are we so arrogant that we can't understand that the Sun is the source of life on Earth? Ice core samples show wild geological fluctuations in clmate ranging through several centuries. A solar flare probably wouldn't burn the asses of modern global warmists too much at first but changes in the sun's energy is what makes the world go around.

And you said what?

I said what? I said you freaking anti-Americans who want to disrupt the fabric of society don't even have the professional courtesy of acknowleging proven evidence that the Sun's fluctuations cause radical climate changes.

 

[Missourian]

We have some EMP protection in a few military/govt systems.

But virtually no protections against the kind of discharges and such described in the article above.

It is quite simple to build a Faraday cage. I have one for my radio equipment. But then you'd have to be educated to know about those.

Cheaper than building a Faraday cage is using a broken microwave oven.

Anything that will keep microwaves in will keep an EMP out...as long as it's grounded.

Advertise on craigslist...you'll have one in a week.

 

[Old Rocks]

Bit hard to do for the transformers in our grid. One freakin' big micorwave for a substation.

 

[westwall]

I was under the impression that most homes with electic wiring were in effect Farraday cages.

Not enough coverage for the effect to occur.

 

[westwall]

I see. Then, QW, you are stating that there are no nuclear plants that such a flare would negatively impact? And there is no possible way to to protect those those switching stations, or at least ameliorate the damage? And what about things that we the citizens could do to protect our electronics?

Why the denial of danger, and refusal to consider appropriate measures to prevent as much damage as we can?

Modern nuclear powerplants are defacto in faraday cages. All that re-bar don't you know. Now a nuc plant that doesn't use a containment building would have some serious issues and would SCRAM itself. So no power coming out but no meltdown either.

 

[uscitizen]

You do not know that to be a fact. And once again if a flare massive enough to shut down the world occurred I am betting everyone on the sunny side of the earth would be facing a problem a lot worse then an EMP.

It is not EMP.
And yes I know electronics and have done testing in labs for UL certification on electronic products.

What do you think a solar flare is?

Radiation mostly.

Even if it were EMP the EMP projected from a nuke is miniscule in comparison to a major solar flare or the radiation from a nearby supernova.

 

[waltky]

possum thinks dat's what wiped out the dinosaurs...

... cause dey wasn't wearin' tin-foil hats...

... with ice cubes in `em.

 

[uscitizen]

possum thinks dat's what wiped out the dinosaurs...

... cause dey wasn't wearin' tin-foil hats...

... with ice cubes in `em.

they needed lead hats.

 

[uscitizen]

I was under the impression that most homes with electic wiring were in effect Farraday cages.

In a sense I suppose you may be right........ Hadn't thought about that......

but my farraday escaped!

 

[Quantum Windbag]

It is not EMP.
And yes I know electronics and have done testing in labs for UL certification on electronic products.

What do you think a solar flare is?

Radiation mostly.

Even if it were EMP the EMP projected from a nuke is miniscule in comparison to a major solar flare or the radiation from a nearby supernova.

A solar flare is radiation, ElectroMagnetic radiation. Defending against one is exactly the same as protecting against a nuclear attack. Unlike what you see in the movies, even a massive EMP will not affect spare parts, or anything that is properly shielded.

 

[Old Rocks]

Well, from previous non-massive solar flares, and the effects of them, there is apparently a lot in the grids that are not adaquetly shielded.

 

[Immanuel]

What do you think a solar flare is?

Radiation mostly.

Even if it were EMP the EMP projected from a nuke is miniscule in comparison to a major solar flare or the radiation from a nearby supernova.

A solar flare is radiation, ElectroMagnetic radiation. Defending against one is exactly the same as protecting against a nuclear attack. Unlike what you see in the movies, even a massive EMP will not affect spare parts, or anything that is properly shielded.

Do you mean "Duck and cover"?

Remember what they used to drill us in school? Duck and cover... may as well have been "Kiss your ass good-bye". But hey, it made us all feel better, didn't it?

Immie

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Well, from previous non-massive solar flares, and the effects of them, there is apparently a lot in the grids that are not adaquetly shielded.

The OP specifically predicts that a massive solar flare will take out the entire electrical grid worldwide, causing multiple nuclear meltdowns and end life on Earth. Since nuclear plants are actually shielded from EMP I am pretty confident in saying that this is not going to happen. Even if the entire worldwide grid does go down, which is highly unlikely, the plants will still be running, and be able to maintain coolant levels for the reactors.

The fact that you did not even bother to read the OP, and realize just how stupid it actually is, and that, even after I tried to point this out to you, you still are arguing in favor of it. shows how pertinent all of your posts are to reality.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Radiation mostly.

Even if it were EMP the EMP projected from a nuke is miniscule in comparison to a major solar flare or the radiation from a nearby supernova.

A solar flare is radiation, ElectroMagnetic radiation. Defending against one is exactly the same as protecting against a nuclear attack. Unlike what you see in the movies, even a massive EMP will not affect spare parts, or anything that is properly shielded.

Do you mean "Duck and cover"?

Remember what they used to drill us in school? Duck and cover... may as well have been "Kiss your ass good-bye". But hey, it made us all feel better, didn't it?

Immie

Bend over and kiss you ass goodbye? I remember those.

 

[DiAnna]

I was just reading a National Geographic article about this. What If the Biggest Solar Storm on Record Happened Today?

Apparently we are entering a solar cycle similar to the one that cause the 1859 incident, and if we received the same kind of solar flare that hit earth then, the effects could be pretty darned devastating. I'm not going to sit around popping valium and clucking in terror, but it's a valid possibility. If it happens, we'll deal with it... but it won't be pretty.

 

[gslack]

I was just reading a National Geographic article about this. What If the Biggest Solar Storm on Record Happened Today?

Apparently we are entering a solar cycle similar to the one that cause the 1859 incident, and if we received the same kind of solar flare that hit earth then, the effects could be pretty darned devastating. I'm not going to sit around popping valium and clucking in terror, but it's a valid possibility. If it happens, we'll deal with it... but it won't be pretty.

I read that article and frankly from the way it reads it all sounds like fear mongering to me. In the 1859 solar flare/storm there were northern lights visible to Cuba and the telegraph operators reported sparks from their equipment which in some cases caused fires.. Thats it from a time when the shielding for electronics and safety measures were almost nil. Today we have modern shielding, back up systems and redundancies and the higher tech machinery and electronics they say would be shut down are shielded even more..

No one died that they reported on, and from the way it reads it was business as usual other than the sparks from telegraph equipment and northern lights in the skies.

For the life of me I cannot understand why a magazine like National Geographic would go in for something like this. Its fear mongering for the sake of selling a magazine...

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I was just reading a National Geographic article about this. What If the Biggest Solar Storm on Record Happened Today?

Apparently we are entering a solar cycle similar to the one that cause the 1859 incident, and if we received the same kind of solar flare that hit earth then, the effects could be pretty darned devastating. I'm not going to sit around popping valium and clucking in terror, but it's a valid possibility. If it happens, we'll deal with it... but it won't be pretty.

I read that article and frankly from the way it reads it all sounds like fear mongering to me. In the 1859 solar flare/storm there were northern lights visible to Cuba and the telegraph operators reported sparks from their equipment which in some cases caused fires.. Thats it from a time when the shielding for electronics and safety measures were almost nil. Today we have modern shielding, back up systems and redundancies and the higher tech machinery and electronics they say would be shut down are shielded even more..

No one died that they reported on, and from the way it reads it was business as usual other than the sparks from telegraph equipment and northern lights in the skies.

For the life of me I cannot understand why a magazine like National Geographic would go in for something like this. Its fear mongering for the sake of selling a magazine...

I think you hit it right there.