What is a Geomagnetic Storm and How Can it Affect Electronics?
A geomagnetic storm can occur if the earth absorbs too much radiation or ionizing matter from the sun. These radiation and ionizing matter are absorbed by earth's ionosphere. The ionosphere is the uppermost part of the earth's atmosphere.
The ionosphere composed mainly of electrons and ionized matter. Electrons in the ionosphere flow in some certain direction like the air. When ionized matter or strong radiation from the sun hits the ionosphere, the normal flow of these electrons is shifted. Thus creating a change in the earth's internal magnetic field - this is a geomagnetic storm.
Now, how can this geomagnetic storm affect electronics and communications?
Every circuit that is functional has at least one closed loop. In electronics and electrical engineering a closed loop describes a circuit that is closed. That means electric current can pass through it.
According to faraday's law of induction:
"The induced electromotive force or EMF in any closed circuit is equal to the time rate of change of the magnetic flux through the circuit."
Here, magnetic flux can also mean magnetic field. And since geomagnetic storms describe the change in earth's internal magnetic field, then geomagnetic storms can induce a current in any closed circuit.
Hence, the stronger the geomagnetic storm, the stronger is the induced current in our electronic devices. Relatively small changes in the current in any working circuit cannot damage the device. However, rapid magnetic field changes can induce a relatively large current.
Electronics are built for small currents. It usually are measured in milliamperes(mA) compared to electrical circuits that go beyond 10 amperes. Once a current threshold in a electronic circuit is exceeded, a component may get damaged. And once it is damaged, the entire circuit will malfunction.
To summarize it all, a geomagnetic storm is a disturbance in the earth's magnetic field caused by anomalies in space weather. This geomagnetic storm can affect electronics by inducing a current in it and interfere with its normal operation or possibly damage it.
Published by Mikhail
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2 Comments
Post a CommentWell gee - that really sums things up! Leeroy has asked a lot of intelligent questions and I'd like to see some answers or else where can any go to find some intelligent questions and answers so people might prepare themselves for such a disaster. The information here is about as helpful as telling someone exposed to Rabies they're going to get very sick.
Is there any protection from current surges? Will unpluging devices protect them more? What type of household items will more readily be affected? Is cable length and whether or not they're coiled important? Does using a surge suppressor or UPS on the line from the wall do any good? Where does the induction intervene? Everywhere? What kind of radiation will reach ground level after being filtered by the atmosphere? Is is worthwhile to invest in shielding, hardening, surge suppressors, faraday cages etc.? If it doesn't insure a high degree of protection, then why bother at all?