LONDON: The current systems to analyse and predict solar storms may not be able to detect large solar flares, scientists report, indicating that this can put both power supply and communication networks at risk on Earth.
According to observations from the Tihany Magnetic Observatory in Hungary, the indices used by scientists to assess the Sun’s geomagnetic perturbations to the Earth are unable to detect some of these events.
The Tihany Magnetic Observatory registered a solar storm similar to the largest one ever recorded in 2003 while other observatories were completely unaware of the event.
In 1859, the largest and most powerful solar storm ever recorded — also known as the Carrington Event or the Carrington Flare – was detected at the Colaba Observatory in India.
The storm caused power outages and fires at telegraph system facilities all over Europe and North America.
Another large solar storm known as the Halloween Solar Storm took place between October and November in 2003.
