Massive Sun Storm May Affect Earth

W A S H I N G T O N, July 14 -- A magnetic storm that could disrupt radio transmissions and satellites — as well as produce colorful northern lights — is expected to strike Earth Saturday and could last until Monday.

The massive sunspot eruption took place early today, theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported.

“The storm is expected to reach strong to severe levels, whichcan adversely affect satellite operations and power grids,”reported the agency.

In addition, space weather forecasters said there is a goodchance of seeing the Aurora Saturday through Sunday morning incities including Washington, D.C., Seattle, New York andDenver.

NOAA’s Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo., reported thattoday’s large complex sunspot group produced one of the largestsolar flares seen in recent years.

Eruption to Strike Saturday

The solar flare, a giant eruption bursting out from the surfaceof the sun, took place about 6:24 a.m. ET, the center said.

The event ejected billions of tons of plasma and chargedparticles into space, some of it heading toward Earth at 3 millionmiles per hour. The mass ejection is expected to strike Earth’smagnetic field on Saturday afternoon and cause the geomagneticstorm.

Earth’s magnetic field protects the planet from most suchcharged particles, but in a strong burst such as this somedisruptions can occur. As the field deflects the incoming particlesthey are moved toward the north and south poles where they causethe northern and southern lights, called auroras.

The NOAA scientists reported that the solar flare has alreadycaused some effects on Earth, including some radio blackouts.

A NASA satellite located about 1 million miles upstream fromEarth detects geomagnetic storms approaching Earth and providesNOAA forecasters with a warning about one hour before they reachEarth’s magnetic field.

In 1989, a severe solar storm knocked out power stations servingCanada and the northeastern states, as well as an electricaltransformer in New Jersey. Since then, power grid and satelliteoperators have taken steps to protect their systems.