If the Sun decided to "sneeze" today, what would happen to our electronic devices? NASA isn't just waiting for it to happen: with Dagger, the early warning system it is developing (I'll link the study here), we may have 30 minutes of warning before a solar storm hits us, giving electrical systems and communications networks a chance of survival.
NASA gives us half an hour's notice
We will only have 30 minutes to save all our electronic devices from a solar cataclysm. New series on Netflix? No. It is the (even optimistic) perspective that NASA is working on in developing an early warning system, nicknamed DAGGER, which could turn a nightmare scenario into a manageable reality.
Using artificial intelligence, DAGGER analyzes data from a range of satellites to give advance warning of the arrival of potentially devastating solar storms. Let's go in order, making a premise.
What are solar storms
A solar storm is an explosion of electromagnetic radiation that occurs in the Sun's atmosphere. This phenomenon manifests itself in the form of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME). When these charged particles come into contact with the Earth's magnetic field, they can cause what is known as geomagnetic storm.
Should we worry? Yes and no. In fact, these storms cannot reach the Earth's surface to harm us directly. However, they can cause Blackout and other large-scale power outages, which in some ways could generate even worse disasters. As in the case of the Carrington Event of 1859, which among other problems also caused fires in several telegraph systems.
It was a period in which electricity was only beginning to take its very first steps. Today we depend entirely on electricity, and the impact of a strong solar storm in terms of damage and human lives would be incalculable. By giving us a little warning, DAGGER could allow us to salvage what can be saved.
AI at the Service of Humanity
The early warning system studied by NASA uses artificial intelligence to analyze data provided by satellites such as ACE, Wind, IMP-8 e Geotail. The goal is to provide 30 minutes of warning before a solar storm hits Earth. Less than the 60 minutes that today allow us to face a tornado, but definitely better than nothing.
NASA and other space agencies have been observing the Sun for years to prevent another Carrington Event. Thanks to DAGGER, we may no longer have to worry about the apocalyptic effects of a global blackout caused by a solar “whim”.
