Solar flare and its effects on earth.

1. Presented by:- DIBYAJYOTI GOGOI
Class:-Second Semester

2. Contents
1. INTRODUCTION OF SOLAR FLARE
2. HOW SOLAR FLARE OCCURS ?
3. STAGES OF SOLAR FLARE
4. ITS EFFECT ON EARTH & HUMAN LIFE
5. PREDICTION OF SOLAR FLARE
6. PRECAUTIONARY PREPARATIONS BEFORE
ITS IMPACT
7. CONCLUSION

3. INTRODUCTION
 A SOLAR FLARE IS A SUDDEN BRIGHT ERUPTION OF
A LARGE AMOUNT OF ENERGY FROM THE SUN’S
SURFACE. THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY RELEASED
MAYBE UPTO 6*10^25 JOULES. THE SOLAR FLARE
MAINLY CONSISTS OF ELECTRONS,IONS AND
ATOMS. DUE TO INTENSE HEAT IN THE SUN’S
ATMOSPHERE,THEY PRODUCE RADIATION ACROSS
THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM AT ALL
WAVELENGHTS..FROM ‘RADIOWAVES TO GAMMA
RAYS’. THIS PHENOMENON CANNOT BE OBSERVED
WITH NAKED EYE ,BUT ONLY WITH SPECIAL
INSTRUMENTS.

4. How does it occur…
 SOLAR FLARES OCCUR WHEN ACCELERATED CHARGED
PARTICLES INTERACT WITH PLASMA MEDIUM OF THE SUN.
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES INDICATE THAT MAGNETIC
RECONNECTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCELERATION OF
THE CHARGED PARTICLES. AS PER SUN IS CONCERNED,
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION CAN OCCUR ON SOLAR ARCADES,
WHICH IS A SERIES OF CLOSELY OCCURING LOOPS OF
MAGNETIC LINES OF FORCE. THESE LINES OF FORCE QUICKLY
RECONNECT INTO A LOW ARCADE OF LOOPS HAVING A HELIX
OF MAGNETIC FIELD UNCONNECTED TO THE REST OF
ARCADE.THESE RESULTS IN THE SUDDEN RELEASE OF ENERGY
LEADING TO PARTICLE ACCELERATION. THIS ENORMOUS
AMOUNT OF ENERGY RELEASED TRAVELS THROUGH THE SPACE
AND REACHES EARTH CAUSING TREMENDOUS DAMAGE TO
SATELLITES AND ALL KINDS OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTS.

5. Stages of solar flares:
1. PRECURSOR STAGE:- IN THIS STAGE, RELEASE OF
MAGNETIC ENERGY IS ACCOMPANIED BY X-RAYS.
2. IMPULSIVE STAGE:- IN THIS STAGE, PROTONS
AND ELECTRONS ARE ACCELERATED TO AN ENERGY
EXCEEDING 1MEV.
3. DECAY STAGE:- IN THIS STAGE, GRADUAL BUILT
UP AND DECAY OF X-RAYS IS NOTICED.

7. First recorded solar event
 THE FIRST RECORDED SOLAR FLARE WAS OBSERVED
WIDELY ON THE NIGHT OF 2nd SEPTEMBER ,1859,
WHICH WAS SEEN MOSTLY ALL AROUND THE
WORLD. THE GEOMAGNETIC STORM CAUSED BY THE
SOLAR FLARE CREATED AURORA. THE LIGHT WAS
SO BRIGHT THAT PEOPLE WOKE UP THINKING IT
WAS ALREADY MORNING. TELEGRPAH SYSTEMS ALL
AROUND EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA FAILED.
TELEGRAPH EQUIPMENTS THREW SPARKS AND
PAPERS CAUGHT FIRE CREATING A GREAT DEAL OF
HAVOC. SOME TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS CONTINUED TO
SEND AND RECEIVE MESSAGES DESPITE HAVING
BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR POWER
SUPPLIES.

8. What can happen when solar
flares hit earth???
1. THEY CAN CAUSE HEAVY ENVIRONMENTAL
DISTURBANCES LIKE GEOMAGNETIC STORM,SOLAR
RADIATION STORMS, RADIO BLACKOUT,
CELLPHONE DISRUPTION, GPS AND SATELLITE
DISRUPTION.
2. LARGE SOLAR FLARES CAN CAUSE AURORAS.
3. EARTHQUAKES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO LARGE
SOLAR ACTIVITY.
4. BIRDS AND MARINE LIFE ARE AFFECTED.

9. Effect on electronic systems
 BASICALLY A LARGE SOLAR FLARE COULD PRACTICALLY
TAKE OUT WORLD’s ELECTRICITY ON A SEMI-
PERMANENT BASIS.IT WOULD TAKE MANY YEARS TO
REPAIR THE WORLD’s ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EVEN IF
REPLACEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE. THERE COULD BE
MASSIVE DAMAGE TO POWER
STATIONS,TRANSFORMERS AND POWER
DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES. WHEN HIGH POWER
TRANSFORMERS ARE DAMAGED, THEY MUST BE
REPLACED. IF THE FACTORIES THAT CREATE OR
REPAIR THESE EQUIPMENTS ARE WITHOUT POWER,
THEY WILL BE UNABLE TO REPAIR OR REBUILT THEM.
 IN SHORT, IT WILL TOTALLY DISRUPT THE
EARTH’s ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INCLUDING SATELLITES
AND EVERYTHING THAT RUNS ON ELECTRICITY. IT
WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT HUMAN LIVES. WITHOUT
POWER , CIVILISATION WILL SUFFER A LOT.

10. Prediction of Solar flares
 PREDICTING THE SOLAR FLARE IS NOT AN EXACT
SCIENCE. THE ABILITY TO FORECAST AN
IMPENDING THREAT OF SOLAR FLARE IS STILL NOT
ACCURATELY AVAILABLE. BUT, SEVERAL SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITIES ARE TRYING TO STUDY IT AND FIND
WAYS OF PREDICTING IT. OBSERVATORIES ARE
CONSTANTLY KEEPING EYE ON THE SOLAR
ACTIVITIES AND THOUGH NOT ACCURATELY, BUT,
ATLEAST THEY CAN GIVE PREDICTION OF SOLAR
STORMS WITH 50% ACCURACY.

11. How should we prepare
ourselves for such a catastrophic
event:1. WE SHOULD RESERVE EXTRA BATTERIES FOR
FLASHLIGHT AND RADIOS.
2. EXTRA GASOLINE SHOULD BE KEPT IN STOCK.
3. DURING A SOLAR FLARE ALERT USE OF ELEVATORS
SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
4. AIR TRAVEL SHOULD BE TOTALLY AVOIDED DURING
SOLAR EVENT.
5. BATTERY POWERED RADIO SETS SHOULD BE KEPT.
IT STILL WORKS DURING BLACKOUTS.
6. DISCONNECTING ELECTRONIC HOME APPLIANCES
SUCH AS TELEVISION,COMPUTERS etc.. INDUCED
VOLTAGE SPIKES DURING GEOMAGNETIC STORMS
DAMAGES ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENTS.

12. Conclusion
 HAVING ANALYSED THE HARMS THAT CAN BE
CAUSED BY SOLAR FLARES, THE AIM NOW SHOULD
BE TO CONCENTRATE THE ELECTRICAL SETUP IN
SUCH A WAY THAT WOULD PREVENT THE COPPER
WIRES AND GRIDS FROM ITS EFFECTS. SINCE
SOLAR FLARES ARE NATURALLY OCCURING EVENTS,
WE CAN ONLY PREPARE OURSELVES TO OVERCOME
SUCH EVENTS IN OUR BEST POSSIBLE WAYS.