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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,761
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Here's an excerpt from an article talking about a flare from 2003 and comparing it to past flares.
SPACE.com -- Major Solar Storm Begins Onslaught of Earth
Quote:
Engineers can put some satellites into hibernation modes and reduce the operations of others to reduce the risk of electrical disruption. The storm, however, can swell Earth's upper atmosphere, creating drag that can pull a satellite out of orbit.
Power grid operators arrange for less switching and fewer large-scale power swaps.
The space storm is intrinsically stronger than one on March 6, 1989 that tripped a power grid in Quebec, Canada.
Lesser storms have caused satellite problems. In 1997, an AT&T Telestar 401 satellite used to broadcast television shows from networks to local affiliates was knocked out during a solar storm. In May 1998 a solar blast disabled PanAmSat's Galaxy IV. Among the casualties: automated teller machines; gas station credit card handling services; 80 percent of all pagers in the United States; news wire service feeds; CNN's airport network; and some airline weather tracking
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__________________
Steve
'08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960
- never named a car before, but this is Charlotte.
'88 targa  SOLD 2004 - gone but not forgotten
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