Beware of Solar Storm Heading for Earth on Friday

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The national weather service for the United Kingdom, Met Office, issued a warning that a strong solar storm will head for the earth on Friday, March 15. As reported by express on Wednesday, the storm will disrupt GPS system, phone signal, and digital TV.

The solar storm is caused by a canyon-shaped hole in the sun’s atmosphere, which is known as a coronal hole that is spewing cosmic rays.

Based on Space Weather, the canyon-shaped hole is facing the earth and it is releasing a stream of solar wind in our direction. However, the geomagnetic storm is considered ‘minor G1’ that will not be harmful.

In general, the magnetic field of the earth protects humans from the radiation, yet it can affect satellite-based technology considering solar winds can heat the earth’s outer atmosphere, causing it to expand.

The storm will potentially cause a lack of GPS navigation, mobile phone signal, and satellite TV services. In addition, a big cloud of charged particles can lead to higher than normal electricity in power lines which results in electrical transformers and power stations blowouts and a loss of power.

Meanwhile, experts said that people will be susceptible to skin cancer due to the higher amounts of radiation caused by the solar storm.

MOH KHORY ALFARIZI | EXPRESS | SPACE WEATHER