[JYO] Solar flare may zing satellites, wireless networks...

Solar flare may zing satellites, wireless networks
By Matt Hines 
CNET News.com
October 24, 2003, 10:26 AM PT
URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-5096394.html 
Experts are warning that a geomagnetic storm generated by eruptions on the 
sun could reach Earth on Friday and potentially interfere with a number of 
technologies, including satellites and wireless communications networks. 
A report issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA), a unit of the U.S. Department of Commerce, said that researchers at its 
Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo., observed increased activity in two 
areas of the sun Wednesday morning. One of the events produced a solar flare, 
technically known as a coronal mass ejection, which appeared to be headed in 
the 
direction of Earth. The solar flare in turn created a geomagnetic storm that 
NOAA is forecasting as G3, or "strong," on its five-level rating system. 
NOAA warned that a storm of this magnitude could disrupt satellite and other 
spacecraft operations, as well as power systems, high-frequency communications 
systems and navigation systems. Among the potential effects could be 
intermittent performance of high-frequency radios, which could interfere with 
some of 
the world's wireless communications networks. The storm could also compromise 
satellite and low-frequency radio navigation systems and cause surface changes 
on satellite components that could increase drag on low-Earth-orbit 
spacecrafts. Some satellites may also experience orientation problems, and 
false alarms 
could be triggered in protection devices built into some of Earth's power 
systems. 
A NOAA researcher said the volatile area of the sun has developed rapidly 
over the last three or four days. Typically, solar activity cycles of varying 
size occur about every eleven years, said Larry Combs, a forecaster with the 
NOAA 
Space Environment Center’s Space Weather Operations. Combs said another, 
similar area of activity could be increasing in size on the other side of the 
sun. 
According to NOAA, similar eruptions could occur in the nearby regions of the 
sun over the next two weeks. The so-called sunspot cluster is roughly 10 
times larger than Earth. The same area, located near the center of the sun, 
produced a major flare in October that caused a radio blackout on Earth. NOAA 
said 
the region continues to grow, and it reported that additional flare activity is 
likely.

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