NASA warns of a phenomenon that could cut off the Internet from the world for several weeks

Written By ندى ماهر عبدربه on 2024/10/19

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.

Arab Weather - The world is facing a serious threat represented by the possibility of a comprehensive disruption of Internet services that may last for several weeks, which may greatly affect the financial and business sector and lead to the collapse of many services that depend heavily on the Internet.

NASA warns of solar storms

NASA has issued an urgent warning that severe solar storms could paralyze the global internet for weeks. The storms are the result of what is known as a “sun peak,” a condition that occurs every 11 years when the sun turns into a ball of explosive energy that shoots huge bursts of energy toward Earth.
Scientists say these solar bursts are responsible for the northern lights, but they can also disrupt the internet, shut down GPS satellites, and cause power outages. If these storms occur, the disruptions could last for weeks, posing a threat to vital infrastructure.

Sun reaches solar maximum

Scientists have confirmed that the sun has already reached its solar maximum, which could last for 12 months, increasing the chance of internet outages. A report published by the British Daily Mail indicated that scientists warn that solar activity will remain at its peak for the coming period, and that more magical displays of the aurora are expected, but they come with a greater risk to global communications networks.

The effect of the sun's magnetic field

The sun is more than just a source of light and warmth. It is a huge ball of hot, electrically charged gas, and this energy produces a magnetic field known as a dipole. About every 11 years, this magnetic field completely flips, leading to a dramatic increase in the number of sunspots, a sign of increased solar activity.

Solar storms and their impact on satellites and power grids

During times of solar maximum, violent solar storms are more likely to occur, which can disrupt satellites and the communications services that depend on them, in addition to causing severe disruptions to power grids, especially in high latitude regions.

Study warns of solar storms' impact on the Internet

A 2021 study suggested that the internet could be disrupted for weeks due to severe solar storms. These storms affect the vast submarine communications network that is the backbone of the global internet. While fiber optic cables are not directly affected by electromagnetic fluctuations, signal boosters deployed along these cables could be damaged, significantly impacting communications over long distances.

Solar storms expected to increase in the future

More intense solar storms could cause catastrophic deterioration of satellites and global internet outages, says physicist Dipindu Nandi of the Kolkata Centre of Excellence in Space Sciences. While these storms produce spectacular aurora displays, they also pose a major risk to telecommunications and power grids.
The world must prepare to deal with these upcoming solar storms, especially since the year 2024 may witness more of these phenomena, which increases the possibility of major damage to the global infrastructure, requiring preventive measures to avoid negative impacts on daily life and the global economy.