A looming threat to power supplies and technology – Space Weather!

It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but “space weather” poses a legitimate threat here on earth including interference to aircraft communication and navigational programs, malfunctioning satellites and GPS systems, and the potential shutdown of power grids.

What is space weather?

According to a new Lloyd’s of London report “space weather is an all-encompassing term to describe various disturbances that occur in near-Earth space, many of which have the potential to disrupt modern technologies.”*

The increase in solar activity corresponds to the peak of the 11-year solar cycle – referred to as the Solar Max – expected sometime between 2012 and 2015.

Although the likelihood of space weather causing a catastrophic event on earth is small, the possibility does exist according to the report.

For example:

• In 1989, Quebec Hydro experienced a 90-second shut-down due to geomagnetic storm activity.  The geological properties of the Canadian shield were thought to facilitate a cascade of tripped circuit breakers and operational failures, resulting in 9 hours of power interruption for 5 million people on a very cold March night.
• And 2 Canadian communications satellites were temporarily disabled by a geomagnetic storm on January 20, 1994.

According to Lloyds: “This isn’t a new phenomenon, space weather has always existed; but it is our growing dependence on electricity-based technology that has exacerbated the threat and made us more at risk than ever.  Awareness of the risk is the first step towards managing it.”

*source: 360 Risk Insight report from Lloyd’s.

Tags: awareness, risk, risk management, space, space weather, weather