Why do solar explosions/storms affect electronics on Earth?
Question:
Answer:
When the sun releases a coronal mass ejection or a solar flare, the electromagnetic fields that go along with these charged particles strike the earth's magnetic field. These released EM fields are hundreds of times more powerful than normal.
Our magnetic fields steer these solar magnetic concentrations around the earth, but on the far side they come together and the result is an electromagnetic release that can pour hundreds or thousands of megawatts of power into our earth's magnetic field and into our own electronic systems (such as satellites).
Since so much of the world is electronically connected, these events can cause a lot of damage.
Check out EMP's !
Solar storms induce waves in Earth's magnetic field, and long power transmission lines act like large antennas to pick up what are essentially powerful, low frequency radio waves. If the lines are long enough, considerable power can be produced, overloading the circuits.
Its the energy that they have that fries the electrical instruments with too much of it for them to handle. A basic example is how your television signal gets muddled every time there is a solar flare alert. The radio energy interferes. If too much, along with other forms of radiation, this can lead to damage to certain delicate instruments. For a closer look at the sun and its flares, particularly spectacular 3D images from the STEREO spacecraft. Go to the link below.
More Questions & Answers...