tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post2550070824004741546..comments2024-03-24T11:01:27.668-04:00Comments on Resource Insights: Solar storms, EMP and the future of the gridKurt Cobbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05330759091950742285noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-56577490435985434302011-07-18T19:57:29.262-04:002011-07-18T19:57:29.262-04:00When Fukushima happened, I heard about an EMP taki...When Fukushima happened, I heard about an EMP taking out microprocessors and power grids, and was concerned about the world being 1 Coronal Mass ejection from 400 nuclear meltdowns. <br /><br />However, on reading more about EMP there appeared to be two distinct forms. One takes out very small devices and one takes out continental scaled devices.<br /><br />The EMP produced by the sun is the continental variety a danger only to power grids of large countries but not microprocessors. <br />(So planes would not fall out of the sky).<br /><br />There are satellites which give advanced warning of solar storms. (something about particles with mass and photons not travelling at the same speed)<br /><br />Therefore should a Carrington event happen, the power grids would be switched off prior to the arrival of the EMP, (switched off power grids would not be damaged.) and when it had passed they would be switched back on. <br />The nuclear plants and other critical installations should be able to function on backups for that period. <br />There would be massive disruption but probably the most damaging thing would be destruction of satellites, spy, telecommunication, weather, etc. (they are not as protected by the earths magnetic field).<br /><br />In short I don't think that solar EMP = doom, provided early warning systems are maintained and if the nuclear plants melted down that would be a consequence of non-functional backup systems, which is a separate problem.jpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-23610857404846517302011-07-02T03:25:13.203-04:002011-07-02T03:25:13.203-04:00Thank you, Kurt, for another concise, smashing pos...Thank you, Kurt, for another concise, smashing post. btw, thanks as well for the 'heads-up' on "Into the Cool" by Janet Margulis' and Carl Sagan's son. the most stimulating book I've read in yearsCrocodile Chucknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-80735913846617181392011-06-22T14:35:20.393-04:002011-06-22T14:35:20.393-04:00--could cripple vast areas of the world, shutting ...--could cripple vast areas of the world, shutting down entire national grids not just for days, but possibly for months or years.<br /><br />Yes it could and I agree BUT I fear that if any shut down on this scale did happen then never mind months or years, life as we know it on this planet would be over before then. It may only take weeks if we loose power.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861605.post-54740408006864170132011-06-20T09:13:10.692-04:002011-06-20T09:13:10.692-04:00Solar flares of the magnitude observed during the ...Solar flares of the magnitude observed during the Carrington Event are sure to strike earth again--solar scientists say it is a matter of when, not if, it will happen again.<br /><br />The nuclear plants melting down in Japan when the commercial grid was taken out by the tsunami would be multiplied many times over should our grid go down here in the USA.<br /><br />Hardening our grid now would be the only investment worth making, considering the damages we'll experience when another Carrington Event hits the Earth.EMPact Americahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10262140417545709828noreply@blogger.com