
Victor Dasgupta
Victor Dasgupta is an Assistant News Editor at India.com, where he tracks major developments across national politics, education, world affairs, business, and current events. He specializes in simplif ... Read More
New Delhi: A series of intense and powerful explosions on the sun has sparked concern among space weather scientists. According to reports, extremely strong solar rays are now heading directly toward Earth, and this could impact our mobile networks, satellites, and power infrastructure. Known as Sunspot AR4087, a highly active region on the Sun has been developing a series of intense explosions. These blasts are called X-class solar flares, the most powerful type of solar eruption.
Scientists became alert on May 13, when an X1.2 flare was directed toward Earth for the first time. But the following day, an even larger flare (X2.7) erupted, affecting radio signals in several regions.
After the second powerful explosion, incidents of radio blackouts were reported. There was complete disruption of Radio communication for a period in regions including the United States, Europe, Africa, and South Asia.
This clearly indicates that if the intensity of such solar storms increases, it could affect essential daily systems like mobile networks, internet, and navigation systems.
The United States has reportedly conducted a special drill earlier this month owing to the solar storm threats. The exercise was held on May 8 in Colorado, where various agencies, including several groups related to space and national security. The purpose of this practice was to understand how to respond effectively in the event of a major solar storm in the future.
The drill conducted by the United States imagined a hypothetical situation in the year 2028, where a massive solar superstorm hits Earth. As a result of this storm, the internet goes down in several parts of the US, power grids collapse, and millions of people are left in darkness.
The impact and timing of a solar storm entirely depend on its strength and direction. But one thing is certain: if the sun remains this active, we must be prepared.
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest Viral News on India.com.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts Cookies Policy.