If you've been lucky enough to witness the recent aurora borealis displays in cloudless skies, then you've experienced one of Mother Nature's most stunning natural phenomenons. For those of us who live further south than where the aurora is typically viewed, there's a reason: We are currently nearing the peak of what's called Solar Cycle 25, which will reach its maximum in the year of 2025. You see, the sun operates on an approximately 11-year cycle of solar activity, with periods of solar maximum characterized by increased sunspots and solar flares. Increased solar activity at this time creates the potential for more intense geomagnetic storms and auroral displays.
What Are the Northern Lights, Really?
The northern lights, or aurora borealis (aurora australis for everyone south of the equator), happen when charged particles from the sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. The process begins with a solar event like a solar flare or coronal mass ejection (CME), which sends a surge of charged particles toward Earth. When these particles reach our planet, they are guided by Earth’s magnetic field to the polar regions, where they collide with gases in the atmosphere. This collision releases energy in the form of light, which we see as the colourful auroras.
Did you know? Auroras display different colours due to the interactions between charged particles from the sun and gases in Earth's atmosphere:
Green: This is the most common colour, created by solar particles colliding with oxygen at lower altitudes.
Red: Seen less often, red occurs at higher altitudes when solar particles interact with oxygen.
Purple and Blue: These colors come from interactions with nitrogen in the atmosphere.
Yellow and Pink: These can result from combinations of the other colours, often seen in auroras that are especially vibrant.
How Solar Storms Impact Power Grids
First of all, I want to be clear - the chance of this happening is extremely unlikely. Honestly? I was looking for an excuse to write about this on the blog, and here it is. But I digress.
It would take an rarely intense geomagnetic storm to interfere with our power grids. But, theoretically, if it happened we could see some serious power disruptions. And it's happened before - in Quebec. [Source]
When a massive solar flare or coronal mass ejection (CME) occurs, it sends a torrent of charged particles toward Earth. If the storm is intense enough, it can disrupt our planet’s magnetic field, leading to geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) in electrical systems. These GICs can overload transformers and other critical components of our power grid. While modern infrastructure has safeguards in place, an exceptionally powerful storm could potentially lead to localised or widespread outages.
Photos by Jaclyn Tanemura Photography
Preparedness
Despite the rarity of such events, electrical utilities continuously enhance their preparedness. They monitor solar activity closely and have implemented measures to minimise risks associated with geomagnetic storms. For instance, they employ devices to mitigate GICs and improve transformer resilience.
BC Hydro uses various tools to monitor CMEs, solar flares, and geomagnetic storms. They collaborate with the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to receive timely alerts and forecasts regarding solar activity. These partnerships help in predicting geomagnetic storms and assessing their potential impact on the power grid. They've got established protocols to respond to potential geomagnetic storms. If a significant solar event is forecasted, BC Hydro can take precautionary measures to protect its infrastructure, such as temporarily reducing the load on certain transformers to prevent damage from geomagnetically induced currents (GICs).
Conclusion
While the likelihood of power disruption caused by a geomagnetic storm is extremely unlikely, the aurora borealis never fails to inspire awe and remind us of the powerful forces at play in the universe. Currently, we are facing Sunspot AR 3842, which has recently produced significant solar flares, so be ready to enjoy more of these spectacular displays as we barrel toward what scientists predict to be solar maximum in 2025.
For ongoing updates on solar activity and its effects, you can check resources like the NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.
Comments