Magnetic storms can fry our electronics.
Currently, the Earth is at the beginning of a new 11-year cycle of solar activity, which is unlikely to be strong.
It does not change the fact that extreme solar weather phenomena most often occur during not very strong cycles or during the deceleration phase. At the peak of solar activity, enormous amounts of energy are released in the form of numerous solar flares and coronal mass ejections, while in the phase of the cycle, when the activity is already diminishing, energy can accumulate longer on the surface and be ejected in single, but much stronger, bursts. mass.
Today's world, which relies so heavily on the achievements of technology and electronics, should therefore particularly carefully study the processes taking place on the surface of the Sun. This will give us a chance to anticipate and prepare for a geomagnetic storm that, without warning, could completely change our lives for many, many years.
Humans felt the effects of space weather in 1859, when a geomagnetic storm caused by a coronal mass ejection on the Sun destroyed all telegraph infrastructure in North America and Europe. It was the main means of communication at that time. According to research from a few years ago, if the same storm had happened today, modern electronic devices would not be protected against its effects in any way. A powerful magnetic storm on the Sun can damage electronic circuits, television, the Internet, and radio communication systems on Earth, leading to a serious crisis in most areas of life. In July 2012, there was a plasma ejection from the Sun comparable to that of the 19th century, but fortunately for us the plasma cloud was not ejected towards the Earth.