No Need To Panic, Solar Storm Is A Natural Phenomenon – ESERI Director
Associate Professor Ts Dr Roslan Umar advised the public not to panic over the phenomenon that is bound to happen next year.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
Many have been discussing a natural phenomenon known as the solar storm on social media.
During a #solarstorm, staying informed through official channels and heeding advisory warnings is crucial. Understanding the potential impacts and taking necessary precautions can mitigate risks and ensure safety for individuals and infrastructures. #Solar pic.twitter.com/ZOu52x2NtQ
— Survivalist (@survivalful) December 28, 2023
Solar storms, with their intense bursts of solar energy, can disrupt power grids and communication systems. Stay prepared by having emergency kits, backup power sources, and staying informed during such events. #SolarStorm #Emergency
— Survivalist (@survivalful) December 28, 2023
Solar storms may create dazzling auroras, but they also pose risks to satellites and astronauts in space. Space agencies closely monitor these events to ensure the safety of spacecraft and personnel during these high-energy solar events. #solar #storm pic.twitter.com/F0onu4GccP
— Survivalible (@survivalible) December 28, 2023
According to the Director of the East Coast Environmental Research Institute (ESERI), Sultan Zainal Abidin University (UniSZA), Associate Professor Ts Dr Roslan Umar, some scientists predict that in 2024, we will reach “Solar Maximum” which will be marked by a flare (flame) powerful enough to shut down the global internet for weeks.
“Solar storms are common. The public does not have to panic over what’s being viralled as this is a common phenomenon that happens all the time, only difference is its strength,” he said, as reported by Sinar Harian.
The Aurora phenomenon also happens because of a solar storm.
“The effect of this solar storm can be seen in the occurrence of aurora in the polar regions of the earth, in fact the aurora is actually proof of the existence of the phenomenon,” he added.
Roslan explained that solar storms can disrupt the earth’s magnetic field and produce Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GIC), potentially disrupting power and electricity supply.
Another effect is sudden ionospheric interference (SID), which interferes with radio-wave telecommunications systems.
Nevertheless, Roslan also added that we are lucky as God has created the Earth with its own atmosphere and magnetic field, which acts as a shield from such phenomenon.
Solar Storm
Despite appearing to be a stationary ball, the solar surface is continually churning and may produce strong storms that have an impact on life as we know it, according to a National Geographic article.
Above the surface of the sun, magnetic activity may hang dense clouds of charged, superheated gas known as plasma. These clouds can erupt, building loops and columns as tall as several Earths piled on top of one another.
Sunspots are black, planet-sized blemishes that are caused by tangled knots of high magnetic activity. Moreover, sunspots are the origin of massive belches of charged particles known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and violent eruptions known as solar flares.
Although CMEs and solar flares sometimes coincide, astronomers believe they are two different phenomena. Flares are abrupt outbursts of radiation that originate just above the sun’s surface and are accompanied by the ejection of charged atoms and electrons into space.
Typically, they are categorised as A, B, C, M, or X, with the X-class flares being the strongest.
CMEs can be even more disruptive, as the shockwave that precedes it slams into and deforms Earth’s magnetic shield, called the magnetosphere. This can create surges of electric current capable of disrupting satellites in orbit and even knocking out power grids on the planet’s surface.
However, according to an article from Meri Station, there has never been a solar storm documented that is strong enough to seriously impair international communications.
Thus, as stated above, there is no point in panicking over something that has been happening naturally.
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
