Solar Storms and Technology: The Likelihood of Disruptions

The sun can put on quite a show, with violent storms releasing large amounts of electromagnetic energy into the solar system. With increased reliance on satellite-based communication, the vulnerability to disruption from solar storms and flares increases. Because the sun is currently in a period of relatively high activity, expected to peak in 2013, solar storm warnings will likely be more frequent in the coming year. However, despite the increasing frequency of bursts of electromagnetic energy from the sun, the possibility of a direct hit by a truly debilitating storm is still small, and the possibility of any other kind of disruptive electromagnetic pulse is even smaller.