http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_363000/363358.stm

Monday, June 7, 1999 Published at 18:18 GMT 19:18 UK

Sci/Tech

Internet reveals solar explosion's target

Astronomers did not know if it was heading our way.

By BBC News Online Science Editor Dr David Whitehouse

A tremendous explosion took place on the surface of the Sun last Tuesday and for a few very nervous hours astronomers did not know whether it was heading for Earth.

The blast threw a jet of superheated plasma carrying magnetic energy into space at speeds of 1,000 kilometres per second (600 miles per second).

However, using the speed of the Internet, astronomers around the world rapidly compared images and decided that a worldwide alert was unnecessary.

"Planet-buster"

The Solar and Heliospheric Observer (SOHO) satellite observed the solar explosion, which astronomers call a coronal mass ejection (CME).

The explosive event was "a real planet-buster", according to Dr Richard Fisher of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre.

If the magnetic energy within the cloud of superhot gas had interacted with the Earth's magnetic field it would have sparked spectacular aurora at polar latitudes.

But more worryingly it could also induce power blackouts, block radio communications and trigger phantom commands capable of sending satellites spinning out of their proper orbits.

Cellular phones, global positioning signals and space-walking astronauts were all at risk.

Hit or miss?

"When the coronal mass ejection was observed we were not sure whether the mass ejection was moving toward the Earth or directly away from the Earth" said Paal Brekke, SOHO Deputy Project Scientist.

Astronomers were particularly concerned that the event was followed by an increase in the flux of sub-atomic particles from the Sun.

So the scientists quickly downloaded Internet images of the Sun taken by observatories in the USA, Austria, Australia, and Japan. They then compared images the taken before and after the event.

"Because the data are so distributed and so accessible we were able to identify and track this event," said one astronomer. "Even just a few years ago, this kind of instant international collaboration would have been impossible."

Fortunately, it was soon established that the CME was headed directly away from the Earth - this time.

Preliminary analysis by Dr Simon Plunkett, of the Naval Research Laboratory in the United States, shows that if the CME were travelling towards the Earth, it would have arrived in just two and a half days.

The other Y2K problem

Solar activity waxes and wanes in an 11-year cycle, which is expected to peak sometime early next year.

Astronomers point out that the solar menace comes at the same time as computers around the world could struggle to cope with problems caused by the Millennium or Year 2000 (Y2K) bug.

Some solar physicists have called the effects from the Sun "the other Y2K problem".

"The SOHO satellite will play a key role in early detection of solar storms, which is important for issuing warnings," added Dr Brekke.

-- Nastradamus (may@be.right), June 09, 1999

Answers

The good news is that we could have as much as a day or two to get into the bunker!

The bad news is that Y2K might not matter when we got out...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), June 10, 1999.

and jesus said, in the LAST DAYS signs & wonders in the heavens, includes sattelites, flame away amigos..

-- al-d. (catt@zianet.com), June 10, 1999.

Also see the recent thread "Planet Buster" solar flare:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000vlN

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 10, 1999.

I did'nt know that somewhere in the Bible it mentioned sattelites. Hmmm, I guess I must have the Readers Digest version.

-- SgtSchultz (SgtHansSchultz@Stalag13.com), June 10, 1999.

Planet Buster??

In my hometown we have a hot dog shop. It serves a sandwich called the gut buster.

Rick, who a long time ago stopped worrying things beyond his control.

-- R. Wright (blaklodg@hotmail.com), June 10, 1999.

The monk who prophesied the Papal succession called the current Pope "Labour of the Sun". Only two more popes are listed after this one.

-- shy ann (shy@really.shy), June 10, 1999.

Maybe the monk died before he list more popes. :)

-- GeeGee (GeeGee@madtown.com), June 10, 1999.

"Rick, who a long time ago stopped worrying things beyond his control."

Rick, thanks for that. For a while, I was feeling very much alone.

This subject came and went at the euy2k forum some time ago. It didn't linger on as it does here, although one would think that, since the big fear is that "solar storms" will crash the "grid," that forum would be a more appropriate place for it go to on and on and on...

I'm beginning to wonder if the people on this forum just aren't paying attention, or don't want to, or, for some reason, really want to see TEOTWAWKI happen. What better excuse than to place it on the sun?

-- LP (soldog@hotmail.com), June 10, 1999.

TPTB will use, and have planned for a "long time", the Solar cyccle to segue in with the other "surprises" coming -

on the right track people - stay tuned...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), June 10, 1999.

As has been pointed out. . .

These flares (actually CME's - or coronal mass emissions) are happening all the time, and range in size depending on many factors including the suns natural cycle, approximately 11 years.

If youd like to SEE the "planet buster" in person, its very simple.

Point your browser at . .http://lasco-www.nrl.navy.mil/daily_mpg/

Then download the mpgs from the C2 feed (cam 2 on SOHO/LASCO) for the period 30/5/99 thru 3/6/99 and compare the buildup of the CME on the south west quadrant of the coronal ring. Its quite a sight.

NOTE - in the images, the blank blue disc with a white ring inside in the centre of frame is a mask applied across the lens to enable the camera to capture the coronal activity without the usual glare from the solar disc.

Coronal Mass Emissions happen all the time, but this one is indeed a biggie, and very impressive to view. NOT the end of the world though.

Youre welcome.

-- W0lv3r1n3 (W0lv3r1n3@yahoo.com), June 10, 1999.