If geomagnetic storms strike Earth, will Vietnam be affected?

The ongoing geomagnetic storm, also known as a solar storm, may cause minor disruptions to radio and satellite communications, with the possibility of losing radio contact for several hours. GPS systems may also cease functioning in some areas.

A massive solar storm impacted Earth last weekend and is now intensifying, potentially causing radio signal disruptions and putting significant strain on power grids. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the solar storm activity will continue for the next few days, generating a G3 storm, on the space weather scale used to measure the severity of storms upon impact with Earth, ranging from G1 (mild) to G5 (extremely strong).

Solar storms have a significant impact on Earth.

NOAA reports that Hurricane G3 could cause minor disruptions to radio and satellite communications, with the possibility of losing radio contact for several hours. The announcement also warns that GPS may stop working in some areas.

"The storm is moving very fast right now, but the magnetic field intensity is still at a moderate level. It's possible to reach G3 or G4 in this early phase," Dr. Tamitha Skov, an independent space weather physicist, posted on X. "A stronger part of the storm may come later."

Geomagnetic storms are temporary disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field caused by streams of charged particles released from the Sun's outermost layers. Areas in the Midwest and Northeast of the United States may experience power outages, such as false alarms and automatic shutdowns, leading to widespread loss of electricity. This powerful storm is also predicted to create spectacular auroras stretching across 13 US states on the evenings of June 2nd and 3rd.

A geomagnetic storm (solar storm) is a phenomenon of extremely powerful energy outbursts on the surface of the Sun, usually originating from sunspots or highly active regions. When it occurs, the Sun releases a large amount of radiation, solar wind, and charged particles (protons, electrons) into space. When these streams of particles collide with the Earth's magnetic field, they cause disturbances in the magnetosphere, leading to geomagnetic storms, auroras, and potentially disrupting technological systems on Earth.

Historically, the Carrington Event (1859) is known as the most powerful solar storm ever recorded, with energy equivalent to 10 billion nuclear bombs. It caused visible auroras in the tropics and paralyzed the global telegraph system.

Not only was the power grid affected, but railway lines and pipelines were also paralyzed, causing major disruptions to transportation and driving up fuel prices.

Satellites in low Earth orbit (such as GPS, telecommunications, and weather satellites) can be damaged by high-energy particles from solar storms. This would disrupt GPS navigation, telephone and internet communications, and weather forecasts.

Disruptions to GPS and the internet would affect financial transactions (such as bank transfers and stock trading) and air traffic control systems, causing chaos in the aviation industry. Traffic management systems (such as traffic lights and railways) could also be affected, leading to an increased risk of accidents.

Technology for recording geomagnetic storms in Vietnam.

Astronomer Dang Vu Tuan Son, President of the Vietnam Astronomical and Space Association, explains that geomagnetic storms are actually unusual bursts of charged particles emitted from the Sun, a phenomenon accurately called a coronal mass ejection (CME). These streams of charged particles from the Sun are normally continuously emitted into space and collide with Earth. This stream of charged particles is called the solar wind.

A geomagnetic storm, or coronal mass ejection, is actually a sudden increase in the intensity of the solar wind due to unusual activity in a particular area of ​​the Sun, with the appearance of flares or sunspots.

Solar flares in certain regions of the Sun often cause effects that impact human life on Earth. Usually, small coronal mass eruptions, which result in what we call geomagnetic storms or solar storms, only cause minor disruptions, such as interrupting television, radio, and telephone signals. While they may have some minor health impacts, they are not usually serious.

Associate Professor Dr. Ha Duy Chau - former Director of the Institute of Geophysics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, said that solar storms (also known as magnetic storms) are strong variations in the Earth's magnetic field.

When the Sun is highly active, sunspots appear on its surface. From these sunspots, solar flares occur, releasing streams of plasma into space (called solar chromosphere plasma bursts).

These are electrically neutral elements that will impact the Earth, enveloping the entire planet and disrupting its magnetic field. Although called storms, they are invisible, undetectable to the naked eye, and only cause specific effects.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, Director of the Institute of Earth Sciences, stated that Vietnam currently has a system of four geomagnetic stations to record magnetic variation and geomagnetic storms, as well as to serve research and storm forecasting. These four stations are located in Phu Thuy (Gia Lam, Hanoi ), Sa Pa (Lao Cai), Da Lat (Lam Dong), and Bac Lieu (Bac Lieu province).

However, currently only two observatories in Phu Thuy and Da Lat are capable of transmitting data directly to the Institute of Geophysics as well as internationally. In Vietnam, the task is only to continuously observe the Earth's magnetic field and make long-term forecasts (about 30 days). Research on short-term geomagnetic storm forecasts (about 30 minutes/day) has not been carried out due to insufficient equipment and data.

The Institute of Geophysics is planning to upgrade its geomagnetic and ionospheric data collection stations with modern digital magnetic recording equipment to improve the quality of geomagnetic field research and geomagnetic storm forecasting.

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Source: https://baolaocai.vn/bao-tu-tan-cong-trai-dat-viet-nam-co-bi-anh-huong-post402780.html