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  1. #1

    Solar flare warnings ect.

    Well myself and friends have been talking/joking about the supposed solar flare storms that are guessed/expected to happen in the next few months (2 -3 ? ).

    Currently there is a sattelite up monitoring solar flares and will give us here on earth roughly 1 hr to 1/2 hr warning before the surge gets to earth. The main reason this sattelite exists is to warn us of heavier particles that can pose some kind of health hazard (radiation) ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48179920.../#.UMQnlHdvCyd ).

    So while alot of people will discount/ignore such as it's somewhat unlikely simmilar has happened before in our past (telegraph systems all over the world were downed by solar storm before on 1859 ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859 )

    Something strong enough to possibly be harmfull would definetly be dangerous for electronic equipment we rely on. from our power grids to computers/TV's, Telephones, radios ect ect ect. Look in your house and think what would still work if an emp were to hit your house.

    So my questions to you is this:

    1. Are you taking such warnings seriously?
    2. how are you protecting your stuff in your home/car?
    3. do you think it's alot of garbage paranoia just like the y2k bug?
    4. what will you do if it happens and you thought it was just hype?

  2. #2
    1) What warnings? /ignorance is bliss
    2) I'm not.
    3) Yes.
    4) Be upset that I just built a new computer that is now ruined.

    Quote Originally Posted by momirmaster View Post
    Although I believe that We never killed osama and OBAMA just used it as propaganda to win a election cause Osama's was probably dead for years I Usually am not gullible.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by MCMXCIX View Post
    1)
    4) Be upset that I just built a new computer that is now ruined.
    Yea i'll be mega pissed just found out i'm getting a nice 120 hertz 3d monitor for xmas >.<

    brb looking for large led lined blankets to cover my pc'monitors lol.

  4. #4
    Epic! Sayl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arteous View Post
    Well myself and friends have been talking/joking about the supposed solar flare storms that are guessed/expected to happen in the next few months (2 -3 ? ).
    It's nothing but hype. This originally got lumped in with silly 2012 doomsday freakouts, as solar cycle 24 was (five or six years ago) originally predicted to reach its maximum this year. In reality the current cycle was not only much slower to develop, but also significantly weaker than the early forecasts suggested. The current outlook is this:

    The current prediction for Sunspot Cycle 24 gives a smoothed sunspot number maximum of about 73 in the Fall of 2013. The smoothed sunspot number (for 2012/02) is already nearly 67 due to the strong peak in late 2011 so the official maximum will be at least this high. We are currently well over three years into Cycle 24. The current predicted and observed size makes this the smallest sunspot cycle since Cycle 14 which had a maximum of 64.2 in February of 1906.
    As you can see, it's on track to be the weakest cycle in over a century. Nothing to lose a moment's sleep about.

    Edited to add:

    To avoid any confusion here, when I say "it's all hype" I mean that these claims of a coming wave of destructive solar flares is being promoted by woefully ignorant tinfoil and conspiracy websites. Nobody at NASA or in the media that I know of is promoting some imminent, above-average uptick in solar activity.
    Last edited by Sayl; 2012-12-09 at 06:23 AM.

  5. #5
    I would think it'd just be a power outage at worst, I've dealt with plenty of those.

    I don't exactly have a radiation proof suit just hanging in my closet. What would I do, camp in the basement and hope the radiation having to travel through more material makes me not get cancer?

    Hoping that, if this is anything dangerous, we get warnings and instructions, as with any natural disaster.
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    Having the authority to do a thing doesn't make it just, moral, or even correct.

  6. #6
    1) YES
    2) Tinfoil hats for the whole family
    3) Obviously.
    4) Nothing?

    We have no control over the universe. If increased solar activity suddenly wipes us out, it is all working as intended in the chaotic aspect of the universe. We are insignificant to the universe. All our little problems and troubles pale in comparison to the cosmic galaxy-shattering chaotic power of the universe.
    Dwelling on such issues would only depress us puny humans.

  7. #7
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    A solar storm like the one in 1859 won't really be an issue, at least around where I live. All our tech is underground, including power lines. Sure, some things might be down, but it won't be a world changing event.

  8. #8
    Fluffy Kitten Remilia's Avatar
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    1. Nope. >.>
    2. I don't want to drive, so don't care about car, computer though. D: Don't know how surge protection works on that, =\
    3. Yup
    4. I'll go cry in the corner with my claw hands and mutated body because I can no longer go online.

    Most equipment nowadays are actually underground like Diesta stated. There aren't as many telephone poles now, and there are a lot more safety precautions these days.
    The bigger issue is power outage and what that could do for multiple systems like water for example.

  9. #9
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    Correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am) but I thought that solar flares weren't predictable?

  10. #10
    1. No, because I can't really do anything to protect what I own.
    2. See above.
    3. No, they are a real threat to the planet, since we have all these electronics and stuff nowadays.
    4. Enjoy the riots and mass panic afterwards(assuming it's a fairly large one).

  11. #11
    High Overlord Aceda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vinni View Post
    Correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am) but I thought that solar flares weren't predictable?
    They aren't. We do have ways to monitor the activity and give us up to an hour's notice before it happens though. We have a probe that orbits the sun that watches for increased radiation.

  12. #12
    Herald of the Titans Theodon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vinni View Post
    Correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am) but I thought that solar flares weren't predictable?
    I think they are predictable, but they can't do it very accurately for specific direction and strength. They travel at nearly the speed of light so by the time it's been detected it's pretty much already hit or passed us. NASA can monitor the surface of the Sun and estimate when one is going to erupt.
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  13. #13
    The Lightbringer Deadvolcanoes's Avatar
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    The best answer on this subject is that we have no reason to believe that a solar flare could produce some type of apocalypse scenario, but it certainly could cause some serious damage to our power grid/radio communications/orbiting satellites.

    The biggest threat occurs when a solar flare produces a coronal mass ejection, inducing a geomagnetic storm. A geomagnetic storm would have a huge impact on our communications satellites in geosyncronous orbit.

    CME's can take up to five days to reach earth, so we do have some time to prepare if a major earth facing flare occurs. We are certainly overdue for a major CME.

    If you are truly interested in this subject, subscribe to YouTube user: Suspicious0bservers (the "O" in observers is a zero). He puts out extremely detailed daily update videos about sun activity, planetary alignment, earthquakes, weather, etc. It is very good content.
    It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.

  14. #14
    Scarab Lord Arkenaw's Avatar
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    1. lolno
    2. see above
    3. yes
    4. Probably kill myself. I literally cannot comprehend what life would be like without internet/technology and there would be no point to continue on.


  15. #15
    We get minor solar flares every January, they do little more than tickle the atmosphere, creating "northern lights".

    We get somewhat major solar flares several times a year, they don't really cause any problems. Most important technology is protected and/or has backups.

    Do you have any idea how immense a solar flare would have to be to cause harm to creatures living on earth? I'm pretty sure it's never happened at any point in history.

  16. #16
    I am Murloc! Ravenblade's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Deadvolcanoes View Post
    [...]
    If you are truly interested in this subject, subscribe to YouTube user: Suspicious0bservers (the "O" in observers is a zero). He puts out extremely detailed daily update videos about sun activity, planetary alignment, earthquakes, weather, etc. It is very good content.
    I am familiar with that site as I usually follow up the recent development of internet hoaxes which some people financially exploit based on such informations. He thus would not be my personal choice for informations as he presents all the data within the same context and with the same level of (over-)drama(tization)/scare. He also frequently puts out videos where he does not hide his true agenda as much as he does when hiding behind these pseudo-neutral 2-min. "information" videos. I'd take these with a grain of salt. Especially when they are usually only cited on various conspiracy theorist sites such as GLP.

    Much better and more interactive sources would be this (clears also up some apocalyptic myths about various space-related things),this (an informative site going beyond plain wave geometry representations) and this (NOAA Space Weather homepage).
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  17. #17
    The Lightbringer Deadvolcanoes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ravenblade View Post
    I am familiar with that site as I usually follow up the recent development of internet hoaxes which some people financially exploit based on such informations. He thus would not be my personal choice for informations as he presents all the data within the same context and with the same level of (over-)drama(tization)/scare. He also frequently puts out videos where he does not hide his true agenda as much as he does when hiding behind these pseudo-neutral 2-min. "information" videos. I'd take these with a grain of salt. Especially when they are usually only cited on various conspiracy theorist sites such as GLP.

    Much better and more interactive sources would be this (clears also up some apocalyptic myths about various space-related things),this (an informative site going beyond plain wave geometry representations) and this (NOAA Space Weather homepage).
    I can't agree that he pushes the scare agenda, at least not if you actually watch all his videos. He signs off every video with "eyes open, no fear..."

    He does, however, have quite a few unfounded/conspiracy type views, which are still well grounded in science (electric universe, pole shift, etc.). He does hide his agenda a bit, but ta there if you want to know it.

    Overall, I always check with NASA and NOAA, but I always like to have a non-governmental source to supplement that, to compare and contrast information.
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  18. #18
    Epic! Sayl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vinni View Post
    Correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am) but I thought that solar flares weren't predictable?
    While individual flares have not typically been predictable (although new methods are working on that), reasonably accurate predictions of future sunspot activity can be delivered via observing trends in the first couple of years into the Sun's 11-year cycles. Typically, when higher numbers of sunspots and active regions are predicted over a given period, more flares are expected to occur.

  19. #19
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    Didn't read but how do I protect my car against Solar flares? The fucking thing doesn't even work properly already so a bit of EMP doesn't bother me. I can survive without phones and electronic junk. I have an analogue watch for starters..

  20. #20
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    I live in a country where most of the electric infrastructure is below ground so why should I care?

    What's the worst that can happen? The power goes out? Yeah, it takes only a minute to turn the power back on. Scary indeed.

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