Although the Sun provides us with light and heat, it can be fatal in many ways. That list includes solar wind, which is mysterious and worth exploring. What are the effects of this phenomenon?
The Particles
The “Solar wind” are charged particles that stream at about 1.4 million km/h from the Sun’s corona. They consist of ionized hydrogen, with some helium. There are also some trace ions like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. (Stanford SOLAR Center, n.d.). Therefore, the particles are known as plasma, which is another state of matter other than liquid, solid, and gas.
Why did the Sun emit some plasma? Well, a dynamo is controlling the particles’ movements by the magnetic force. But, some particles leak out constantly as radiation, and we call it solar wind. Occasionally, the amounts of the particles are even greater, and the speed of the plasma increases, causing more catastrophic events to appear.
But, solar wind has its high-speed and low-speed version. The low-speed variation runs at 400 kilometers per second, while the high-speed one travels twice as fast.
Image Credit: Canva, NASA’s Eyes
Magnetic Fields
As a result of the charges, magnetic fields can deflect solar wind particles. In fact, Earth’s magnetic field is one of the reasons why our planet is habitable.
If the radiation somehow leaks in, there would still be the radiation belts. They trap and absorb particles that are going to target Earth and substantially reduce space radiation.
Meanwhile, they provide us with beautiful auroras caused by Earth redirecting the energy from these particles to both poles.
However, if there is no global magnetic field for the planet (such as Mars), it will be bombarded with deadly radiation levels. That’s why we need to design spacesuits to block as much energized particles as possible.
Image Credit: Canva
Solar Storms
Let’s go a little deeper, to a much more severe situation, where a solar storm happens. One of these events is coronal mass ejections (CMEs), in which excessive plasma is released at once.
As mentioned before, the solar storms are caused by some abnormalities in the Sun’s magnetic field. Therefore, the Sun’s corona ejects vast amounts of charged particles.
But it comes with another danger: If the wave is aligned to Earth correctly, it will mess up with Earth’s magnetic field, causing a geomagnetic storm. This could fail all equipment that requires electricity since electricity and magnetism are closely related.
The Importance of Exploring Solar Wind
Despite the harm it can cause, it is beneficial to explore the natural phenomenon. As mentioned, spacesuits are designed to obstruct the radiation, which will otherwise hurt or kill the astronauts.
Moreover, learning about the properties of the particles helps us create equipment that can withstand them. This could make the technological devices more sustainable and less likely to break (because the particles are emitted continuously).
Furthermore, once a solar storm occurs, scientists can detect them in advance. They can then tell the electrical experts to temporarily shut down the power grids to survive the incoming particles.
Conclusion
Here are the features of solar wind, its relationship with magnetic fields, and solar storms. We hope you learned more from this article, but it only contains about 500 words. So, please check out the references to learn more.
References and Credits
- (2019, November 24). Effects of the Solar Wind – NASA Science Mission Directorate. Retrieved January 2, 2021, from https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/news-articles/effects-of-the-solar-wind
- (2019, February 20). The Solar Wind Across Our Solar System | NASA Solar System Exploration. Retrieved January 2, 2021, from https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/2288/the-solar-wind-across-our-solar-system/
- Nola Talyor Redd. (2018, May 19). What is Solar Wind? – The Definition, Cause and Effects Explained – Space.com. Retrieved January 2, 2021, from https://www.space.com/22215-solar-wind.html
- (n.d.). Stanford SOLAR Center — Ask A Solar Physicist FAQs – Answer. Retrieved January 2, 2021, from http://solar-center.stanford.edu/FAQ/Qsolwindcomp.html
- Kurzgesagt — in a Nutshell. (2020, June 7). Could Solar Storms Destroy Civilization? Solar Flares & Coronal Mass Ejections – YouTube. Retrieved January 2, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHHSSJDJ4oo
- (n.d.). What Is an Aurora? – NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids. Retrieved January 2, 2021, from https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/aurora/en/
Image Credits: Canva, NASA’s Eyes