Two Years Ago We Dodged Two Bullets

[mrjarrell]

This is an interesting piece, with a link to a better, more in depth look at the issue. Two years ago a solar storm erupted and there were two coronal mass ejections, one after another. Fortunately for us they were about a week off on our orbital positions and managed to miss us. If they had hit us, we'd have been FUBAR. The grid would have likely gone down, and could still have been down. Electronics would have been fried and done. It was sheer luck that we got missed, but we may not be so lucky next time and there's just so little you can do to prep for this type of event, (other than having food and water on hand for an extended time). Experts are predicting a 12% chance of a re-occurrence in the next 10 years. This would be a world changer SHTF. (Looking back at threads on CME's from that period, we here at INGO didn't hit on those, but we did on CME's and solar storms just before and after).

How a solar storm two years ago nearly caused a catastrophe on Earth

 

[BrewerGeorge]

This is the kind of thing I prepare for, and weather events.

I'm not sure it would be the EOW, though. Lots of government stuff is still hardened, and there are plenty of tube devices still in mothballs. Older cars and trucks that would work, that kind of thing. It would take us a decade to get back, but I would be surprised if Americans would starve.

 

[ModernGunner]

There's LOTS of things out in the universe that could be a 'game changer' for this big blue marble. Solar flares, asteroids, comets, gamma rays, magnetic shifts, black holes, and so forth. The worlds largest volcano 'coincidentally' happens to be right here in the U.S., as well. We know it as "Yellowstone National Park". And we're currently living on a tectonic plate, with a major fault line not far away (the Madrid fault line).

For those that aren't aware, our particular galaxy is currently merging with another galaxy. So the possibility of something 'bumping' into Earth, something the size of another planet, IS a possibility, let alone all that 'smaller' stuff out there.

If the Earth is hit by, say an asteroid the size of Indiana, or WHEN Yellowstone erupts any and all SHTF preparation will be irrelevant.

Welcome to the 'harsh reality' of living on this planet, in this universe. Fretting over something that MIGHT have happened but didn't, or COULD happen, is non-productive.

 

[Libertarian01]

To All,

I just read this article earlier this evening as was going to post it but found it already here. Thank you Mr. Jarrell!

This represents a significant threat to our continued existence as a modern society. According to the article there is "Perhaps the scariest finding reported in the article is this: There is a 12 percent chance of a Carrington-type event on Earth in the next 10 years according to Pete Riley of Predictive Science Inc." Twelve percent is no small number! It represents a credible threat to modern life.

If this were to happen during the summer it would be disastrous. The reason I say that is everyone's freezer food would probably be gone within a few days. Those with generators would be scrambling for gas, except the pumps might not work because they are electric. Also, according to the article those of us in cities or even small towns may not be able to flush our toilets for days as most urban water supplies rely on large, electric pumps that would fail to work.

This would likely present a TEOTWAWKI situation. Food supplies run out - quickly! Repair crews attempt to work but communications is spotty. Hell, this thing set some telegraph offices on fire back in 1859! If this took out telegraphs in 1859 just imagine what it would do to modern electronics.

Consider the immediate declaration of martial law. Of course, people would ignore it. Large urban areas would quickly depopulate as people went searching for food. Those living on the outliers of large cities would be slammed and overwhelmed. Fighting would break out with little law enforcement available. Law enforcement may not have working cars, phone lines, or communications.

Somewhere in all of this the military would start to put its foot down, but for how long? Soldiers wouldn't want to fire on civilians, and others would seriously worry about family members back home.

Things would get restored... eventually. I do believe the following Census would reflect markedly lower numbers than the previous one.

This is an event that everyone, including the government, needs to start planning for. If a water plant replaces an olde, but functional water pump, they should find a place to simply store the olde one instead of trashing it or selling it. The same could be said for older police cars and radios. You wouldn't want to save everything but at least having a "skeleton crew" of old reliable equipment ready to go would be preferable to nothing at all.

Alas, that might make sense, so naturally it won't happen.

12%. In some ways a small number, but NOT unimaginably so.

Regards,

Doug

 

[sloughfoot]

I love the optimism of humans. A direct hit of a solar mass ejection could mean the total annihilation of all life on the planet.

Grid down? Think Mars. Nothing left. No life, no atmosphere. Sterile planet.

Serious stuff. It would be over quickly though...

 

[TheWabbit]

CME would be a big pain in the butt, but it's not like an EMP or a sudden attack on the grid. Scientists are looking out for these so we would have hours to days to prepare. Officials could shut down the grid for a short time until the storm passed.

 

[CathyInBlue]

There is no normal process of the sun, short of its scheduled end-of-life red-giant form, that can render this planet devoid of life. Even the most violent CME making a direct hit would not wipe out all humans, let alone all life. It'll make modern, technological life immeasurably more difficult, and as a result of that, kill off a lot of people who are dependent on technology to live, but after an initial culling, human populations will bounce right back.

 

[Consciouscitizen18]

It seems like a no-brainer that people should be prepped for living and defending themselves off the grid. I'm 19 and see the grid being down as the most reasonable SHTF and WROL scenarios because the grids dictate so much of everyday life. Factories shut down, food can't be delivered to the grocery story, and 10 year-olds can't get to 10th Prestige on Call of Duty. Living on the grid should not be the only option, people should be prepared and enlightened on how to get by off the grid.

 

[draketungsten]

Lloyds of London commissioned a study on the risk and impact of a major CME event impacting on North America. Interesting read...

http://www.lloyds.com/~/media/lloyd... risk to the north american electric grid.pdf

 

[Lex Concord]

Knowing (2009) - IMDb

 

[PaulJF]

Conspiracy Theory! Alex Jones has been talking about this for a couple of years at least.

 

[Baditude]

Just a thought but wouldn't getting your electricity from a Nuclear plant still be ok?

 

[mrjarrell]

Just a thought but wouldn't getting your electricity from a Nuclear plant still be ok?

Nope. A Carrington event would likely knock out the electronics at the plant as well as the grid that carries the power. It's a nasty thing.