Expert: Tom Whiting - 1/5/2011

Question
QUESTION: Dear Tom,

Should I be losing sleep on the upcoming solar storms that are predicted to impact earth during the solar maximum ?

I read this article recently and I didn't like the sound of it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101229/sc_afp/sciencespacesuntelecoms#mwpphu-conta

I'm thinking about buying solar panels to provide power. Can they be affected by solar storms ?

Thank you,

Regards,

steve

ANSWER: Hi Steve,
No, and no.  High sunspot cycles occur (peak) every 11 years on average (that can vary from 9-13 years), and we're still here for the past 3-5 million years (humans). We've even gone through magnetic polar reversals in the past without any undue effects, which happen every 50,000 years or so. So don't lose sleep over it. The worse case scenerio is that it could take out some sensitive Earth satellites (above the atmosphere) and disruption of power lines if we happen to get hit with a direct, strong CME (Coronal Mass Ejection). So the average person doesn't have to worry about it, just like in 2001 and 1990 and 1979, etc etc.  In fact, the up and coming solar maximum is expected to be actually below normal for activity, after a very deep, record setting minimum.  (That's why the very cold winters we've had the past 2 years). It's the sun that controls the weather, not man or CO2 output!  In fact the current CO2 content at 0.035% in our atmosphere is the lowest it's been in the entire 4.6 billion year history of the planet right now!
So go ahead with your alternate power plans as solar panels are not affected by solar storms.
It's actually the atmosphere that protects us, not the magnetosphere. The magnetosphere simply re-directs all the high energy particles to the upper atmosphere in the polar regions, and the last I checked, the Eskimo's and penguins... are doing just fine.
Articles like that tend to 'sensationalize' events, to sell magazines and newspapers. Stick with the real, but boring, non-sensationalizing sources like Sky & Telescope magazine, and
www.spaceweather.com
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA  

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Tom,

Thank you so much for your response. Boy do I feel silly for entertaining doomsday thoughts.

I guess I originally started giving it a lot of thought when I saw  Michio Kaku on Fox News talking about how he was losing sleep. However, I was kind of on the fence with this report because I never trust fox news but I respect Michio Kaku because he shows up on other tv shows like PBS's NOVA and other science documentaries.

I found him talking about the storms on youtube on this link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_TzIUlaQok

From your perspective. What's your opinion on this man in the astronomy world ? Does he hold credibility ?

I personally find him eccentric and weird but he explains things so clearly.

I appreciate your input and opinion very much :)

Regards,

steve

ANSWER: Hi Steve,
Michio Kaku is a very nice man... he does a very good job both entertaining and educating the public on various scientific topics. However, in his zeal to do that, he does tend to both go off on a tangent and sensationalize a bit.  A lot of his future prognostications and theories are sometimes strictly his opinion, and not the opinion of others, as to whether they are someday viable, or not.  But as a whole, he does a pretty good job replacing Carl Sagan, although I think that British physicist Dr. Brian Cox does a better job at promoting our great hobby, at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cox_(physicist)
Dr. Neil Tyson also does a great job as a successor to Carl Sagan.
I find M. Kaku also eccentric, but then again, so am I (probably- according to my wife).
He's not weird, but rather unique and "colorful" in his thinking.
I also enjoy his programs, but I also temper it with a little common sense, bringing in the eventual cost (money) factor. Unfortunately, I think he is also one of those "false" global warmists too... falling for the liberal line to secure gov't monies for pet projects.
That's the only strike I find against him.
Clear Skies,
Tom
PS... Yes, don't become one of those doomsday people; We(humans) have only survived 3-5 million years on this planet. We need another 155 million years just to 'tie' the 'dinosaur' reign on this planet.  We have only just begun.





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Tom,

You sir are one COOL dude. I just finished exhaling and i took a ton of weight of my back. Your response makes so much sense. I guess spinning the story does affect how its portrayed and also using sarcasm in the other article I showed you might have been a clue on to how serious it was being taken.

I guess I'll go see how I plan to pass down my teachings to future year 8302 descendants.


Thanks again,

steve

Answer
I try to intersperse some logic and common sense to all this high-science stuff.  Science is nice
and I really like it... but sometimes some people take a particular subject off the deep end... especially if they want attention, sell a book, sell a magazine, or sell a newspaper.  Always stick to the non-sensationalized websites for astronomy subjects;
www.skyandtelescope.com and
www.spaceweather.com

Your Welcome,
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA