As previously mentioned on this blog, sunspot 930 released a masive solar flare in December, even though we are in the solar minimum between 11 year sunspot cycle peaks. Now after analysing what happened during that event, scientists are concerned that solar cycle 25, expected to be one of the largest ever, may cause significant disruption in the GPS system, banks communications, and other hi-tech that relies on satellite communication.
An article in Information Week outlines some of the serious concerns that have been raised about the survivability of our staellite communications during the next big solar storm that is coming. The last time solar storms were of this magnitudes, in the late 50’s, sateliite technology was in it’s infancy, and many of the circuits then were far less complex and sensitive than todays microcircuits.
“Our increasingly technologically dependent society is becoming increasingly vulnerable to space weather,” David L. Johnson, director of the National Weather Service, said at a briefing.
What will people do without their cellphones, GPS, and iPods?