Solar Storms Could Affect GPS Technology

When we look up at the sun (hopefully not for too long), it seems fairly calm. The bright yellow disc rises in the east and makes its way across the sky each day to set in the west. Other than this daily cycle, the sun looks quite placid, but the stillness is an illusion. The sun only looks so still because it is very far away. When scientists get a closer look at the sun, through telescopes and other technology, we see a very different picture. The sun is made up of fire and hot magma and is constantly fluctuating. Occasionally, bursts of energy and fire shoot out from the sun, which are called solar flares.

Solar flares may sound scary, but they don’t generally pose any harm to Earth. There is enough space in between us, that the fire shooting out cannot reach our atmosphere. However, some of the radiation from the solar flares can reach Earth’s outer atmosphere, affecting satellites and power grids. There was a time, not too long ago, when there weren’t any power grids or satellites for solar flares to affect. Now, we have constellations of satellites supporting our cell phones, internet service, GPS devices and other technology.  

NASA experts report that this year, 2013, the sun is at a peak in its 11-year solar cycle. That means that scientists are detecting a high volume of solar flares. Fortunately, many of the Class X (the most extreme class) solar flares recorded have not been facing Earth’s atmosphere. However, there has been some disruption of GPS technology and other satellite-based systems due to the increased solar activity.

The good news is that for the most part, you and I will not be affected by solar flares. GPS navigation could possibly suffer some glitches, but on the positive side, the solar flares also create some stunning Aurora Borealis displays for those lucky enough to spot them.

Solar Storms Could Affect GPS Technology