© NASA/SDOSolar storm
New USGS data show how cities have higher or lower risks of blackouts during a powerful sun storm depending on their regional geologyOur
sun is a restless star. When it's particularly active, it can eject effervescent packages of magnetic energy and charged particles known as solar flares. If it releases a minor flare aimed at
Earth, the solar material can produce harmless but
spectacular displays of auroras when it slams into our atmosphere.
However, more powerful solar outbursts can give birth to
geomagnetic storms that wreak havoc in Earth's magnetic bubble, potentially delivering serious damage to the planet's electrical infrastructure. (See
pictures of solar storms being made in the lab.)
And, as it turns out, your city's ability to weather a powerful geomagnetic storm may depend on the types of rocks below your feet.
Recent research by the U.S. Geological Survey analyzed how different flavors of
rocks interact with geomagnetic storms in the northeastern U.S.
The work shows that the potential damage to electrical networks can either be significantly amplified or dampened based on the regional rock types. People living in the New England Highlands, for example, have a higher risk of experiencing major damage during a geomagnetic storm, the study shows, while those in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain have a far lower risk.
Scientists have known for a while that geology plays a key role in solar storm damage. But Love's study, published in December in the journal
Space Weather, goes a step further by precisely quantifying how geological differences control the damage potential in specific locations in the U.S. northeast. And although this study only focused on one part of one country, it has global implications.
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