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Space Weather Warning

SallyMac writes "The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a Space Weather Warning. On Friday, May 13th, NOAA detected a 'geomagnetic storm of extreme proportions'. From the article: 'This event registered a 9 on the K-Index, which measures the maximum deviation of the Earth's magnetic field in a given three-hour period...The scale ranges from 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest. This was a significant event.' See the article on the NOAA site for more information." Spaceweather.com has details on the resulting auroras.

229 comments

  1. Scientists. by Boss,+Pointy+Haired · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why couldn't they use a scale of 1 to 10 like EVERYBODY ELSE?

    1. Re:Scientists. by twostar · · Score: 4, Funny

      because they like having more then two options.

    2. Re:Scientists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because like any true geek, they used this:

      Option Base 0

      Wait, geeks use VB, right? ... Hello?

      PiranhaPhish

    3. Re:Scientists. by HaloZero · · Score: 1

      Because their programmer didn't understand how or why indices started at 0 and not 1, and that s/he could have just incremented after the fact.

      --
      Informatus Technologicus
    4. Re:Scientists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      bnxfgbWHY?!!!
      WHat DO you mean WHY?!!!
      BEACAUSE AT 10 WE ALL BURN!!!!!!

    5. Re:Scientists. by Xypheri · · Score: 2, Funny

      so what happens when it registers an A on the scale?
      or F for that matter?

    6. Re:Scientists. by trevdak · · Score: 1

      Does anyone know how the scale for geomagnetic deviation works?
      I assume they use exponential growth (meaning a 4.0 is 10 times more deviant than a 3.0, a 3.0 is 10 times worse than a 2.0, like the Richter scale), with a 1 being standard deviation.

      The main question behind my pondering is:
      We know that a 9 on the scale must mean "x amount of deviation, and up" and that the values for 2-8 must be spaced in some way logically (e.g. not have a 3 be 100 times as deviant as a 2, but a 4 be only 3 times more deviant than a 3)
      So what level would the deviance been measured at if the scale went beyond 9?

    7. Re:Scientists. by Lil-Bondy · · Score: 0

      YOU, my good friend, are what we call pedantic

      --
      Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. - HHGTTG
    8. Re:Scientists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      An A is good...for me to poop on.

    9. Re:Scientists. by pv2b · · Score: 2, Funny

      This one goes to 11.

    10. Re:Scientists. by shut_up_man · · Score: 3, Funny

      Nigel: Because ours go to nine. See? The numbers all go to nine. Look...right across the board.
      Marty: Ahh...oh, I see....
      Nigel: Nine...nine...nine....
      Marty: ..and most of these instruments go up to ten....
      Nigel: Exactly.
      Marty: Does that mean it's...safer? Is it any safer?
      Nigel: Well, it's one safer, isn't it? It's not ten.

    11. Re:Scientists. by Rocketship+Underpant · · Score: 1

      They chose a zero-to-nine scale to avoid filing 10-Ks.

      (ouch)

      --
      He who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.
    12. Re:Scientists. by plaxion · · Score: 1

      They probably wanted it to be represented by a single integer and 0..9 is still a scale of ten numbers.

      Besides, in many programming languages, array indices start at 0 and not at 1. So from a programming point of view it's quite logical.

    13. Re:Scientists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The Joke is over. Please all move on!!!

      Just let go.

    14. Re:Scientists. by dutchd00d · · Score: 2, Informative

      You mean "everybody else" as in the Richter scale (3.5-8)? Or the Beaufort scale (0-12)? Or the stellar magnitude scale (-3.5 - ~25)? Or the Fujita scale (F0-F5)?

    15. Re:Scientists. by dalleboy · · Score: 1

      Exactly, let us start storing the year using two digits.

    16. Re:Scientists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does an F+ mean I failed, but I failed well?

    17. Re:Scientists. by Capt+James+McCarthy · · Score: 1

      "When we really want to crank it up we go to 11." SpinalTap

      --
      There are no loopholes. It's either legal or it's not.
    18. Re:Scientists. by ozbird · · Score: 1

      They're keeping ten in reserve - just in case.

      "You're on 10, all the way up, all the way up... Where can you go from there? Nowhere." - Nigel Tufnel.

    19. Re:Scientists. by duffer_01 · · Score: 1

      I am guessing to avoid the Y29 problem.

    20. Re:Scientists. by vegaspctech · · Score: 1

      The Richter scale starts at zero and has no defined upper limit, although there's a practical limit. 3.5-8 is the What Gets Reported scale. ;-)

      --

      Making the world a better place, one psychotic episode at a time.

    21. Re:Scientists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think the line is: "when we want that little push over the cliff".

    22. Re:Scientists. by hey! · · Score: 1

      Obligatory Spinal Tap reference:

      My scale goes all the way to 11.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    23. Re:Scientists. by theguyfromsaturn · · Score: 1

      It's because they like "the power of 3"

      --
      I like my dinosaurs feathery, and my pterosaurs hairy (or is it pycnofibery?)
    24. Re:Scientists. by osmic234 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually, it doesn't necessarily start at zero - it's a logarithmic scale so negative magnitudes are still meaningful, if not worth worrying about outside seismology research.

      And as for 8 being the upper limit - one of the reasons that the Richter magnitude scale isn't actually used anymore is that it saturates at large magnitudes. In other words as earthquakes keep getting bigger, the richter scale doesn't really keep up - it under-reports the actual size. So an earthquake with a moment magnitude (see below) of 7.5 might have a comparable richter magnitude, but one with a moment magnitude of 8.5 or 9.0 might still only have a richter magnitude of 7.5 or 8.0.

      Moment magnitudes are calculated from the area of fault surface that actually ruptures, how much it moves, and the rigidity of the surrounding rock. A fault can propagate over long horizontal distances (~1000 km in the Sumatran earthquake last year) but only down to a point where the crust is still rigid enough to crack. It's this factor that is the main control on upper earthquake size. Other wise the rupture could just keep spreading down. Then you could have stupidly large earthquakes like a magnitude 15 or 20 that would crack the earth in half. Well, not really.

      Part of the reason is the the richter magnitude scale is a local magnitude - it's not actually giving the true energy release of an earthquake, but how bad it feels at some nearby point (corrected for distance). It's also a bit of a hold-over from the early days of seismology in California. When people started to realise that the are earthquakes outside California as well, the richter magnitude scheme fell out of favour.

      Seismologists don't use the richter (local) magnitude scale anymore really. The reason it's still often reported in the news is that after alarge earthquake, reporters call up their local governmental Geological Survey for a size. If the seismologists then try to give the size in a modern, more accurate scale, the reporters tend to say "Moment magnitude? No one knows what that is - how big was it on the Richter scale?". So, even though it's generally out of date, it still manages to be somewhat self-perpuating.

    25. Re:Scientists. by mattspammail · · Score: 1

      Requisite statement about Spinal Tap here.

      --
      Now accepting PayPal donations!
    26. Re:Scientists. by GeckoX · · Score: 1

      I feel like I'm missing something...what's that from?

      All I can think of is that that's a bad rip of the classic Spinal Tap joke..."But...these go to eleven!"

      Anyone care to fill me in on the joke?

      --
      No Comment.
    27. Re:Scientists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They wanted it to go to 11, but they didn't want to copy anybody.

    28. Re:Scientists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, it is a rip of the classic spinal tap joke.

    29. Re:Scientists. by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

      Because they are obviously computer scientists, and all computer scientist have 9 fingers... 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9!

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    30. Re:Scientists. by tOaOMiB · · Score: 1

      Or the /. scale (-1 to 5) -- I don't think folk on here have any rights to complain :)

    31. Re:Scientists. by plaxion · · Score: 1

      That on the other hand does not make sense. As many programmers found out.

  2. Coincidence? by iq+in+binary · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Friday the 13th?

    --
    Of all the Universal Constants, here's one I know: Nice guys finish last ;)
    1. Re:Coincidence? by Valcoramizer · · Score: 2, Funny

      In other news, a black cat was spotted walking underneath an open ladder carrying a salt shaker. This so startled the man on the ladder that he dropped the mirror he was holding, shattering the mirror, and crushing the cat.

      --
      We raise our slide-rules high.
    2. Re:Coincidence? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      In other news, a black cat was spotted walking underneath an open ladder carrying a salt shaker. This so startled the man on the ladder that he dropped the mirror he was holding, shattering the mirror, and crushing the cat.

      In sympathy, the sun let out a massive geomagnetic storm.

    3. Re:Coincidence? by BeerCat · · Score: 1

      But... black cat's are lucky, so that cancels out the ladder. There's nothing unlucky about a salt shaker (unless you spill it), while the mirror would have to be really big to be able to shatter and crush

      --
      "She's furniture with a pulse"
  3. Thanks for the warning. by syynnapse · · Score: 5, Funny

    I _would_ have taken the freeway home on friday had I known, but instead I got caught in this horrible weather while traveling through the upper atmosphere.
    Way to have 20/20 hindsight NOAA.

    --

    System.out.println(syynnapse.getSig());

  4. So What's the Duration? by virtigex · · Score: 2

    I couldn't get from the article what the duration of disruption is. Anybody know?

    1. Re:So What's the Duration? by Durinthal · · Score: 2, Informative

      About 60 hours, according to how long it took the story to get posted.

    2. Re:So What's the Duration? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The aurora borealis was visible here in Detroit during the we hours of sunday morning. At least by lake St. Clair where the street lights arn't.

  5. 50's flashback. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "This event registered a 9 on the K-Index, which measures the maximum deviation of the Earth's magnetic field in a given three-hour period...The scale ranges from 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest. This was a significant event.'"

    Alright everybody DUCK AND COVER!

    1. Re:50's flashback. by circusboy · · Score: 2, Funny

      and while your at it, "Stop, Drop, and Roll!"

      --
      -- it's ridiculous how many people misspell ridiculous... (damn, damn, damn...)
    2. Re:50's flashback. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      From the tinfoil hat contingent Friday was a very heavy spray day in Los Angeles county.

      Maybe these sob's are trying to save us after all.

      Time for the meds now.

  6. Shortwaves were dead by dimss · · Score: 4, Interesting

    There was very poor shortwave propagation yesterday. Now I see why...

  7. 1 digit by backslashdot · · Score: 1

    Let me take a guess .. I am prolly totally ofdf here so if you take this as real without verifying that'd be stupid with a zero on a scale of 1 to 10. ..

    So anyway .. maybe they zhose to rate from 0 to 9 because if you want to represent "10" you'd need two digits.

    Plus it's confusing to start from 1 .. I mean if there is no activity .. you'd want to rate it as zero (null) not 1 (which sort of implies there's some activity.

    1. Re:1 digit by Breakfast+Pants · · Score: 1

      What?? To represent 10 you do need 10 digits... unless you have somehow figured out some magic trick none of us here on slashdot know about to somehow represent more than 10 things in 01 digits.

      --

      --

      WHO ATE MY BREAKFAST PANTS?
    2. Re:1 digit by MidnightBrewer · · Score: 1

      Plus it's confusing to start from 1 .. I mean if there is no activity .. you'd want to rate it as zero (null) not 1 (which sort of implies there's some activity.

      By that logic, you can safely ignore the first item on any prepared by overly clever programmers who think it looks cool to start numbering with zero.

      --
      "Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day; set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life
    3. Re:1 digit by Angostura · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't zero rather imply that that the sun had just gone out, in that case?

    4. Re:1 digit by Fred_A · · Score: 4, Funny

      0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F

      There, that's more than 10 things counted with a single digit.

      You must be new here :)

      --

      May contain traces of nut.
      Made from the freshest electrons.
    5. Re:1 digit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Presumably, 0 indicates no significant deviation from the norm. The sun 'going out', should it suddenly occur, would be best represented by a very high magnitude negative value.

    6. Re:1 digit by dave1g · · Score: 1

      I would call those hexits.

    7. Re:1 digit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Uhh.. to represent 10 in your case, I use two digits.. one and zero.

    8. Re:1 digit by ArAgost · · Score: 1

      They're still called digits, since "digit" comes from the latin word digitus (which means finger). The deca-, deci-, and similar prefixes (or words) relating to the number ten come from the greek word deka (which means ten) :^)

    9. Re:1 digit by radar_music · · Score: 1

      Binary digits are bits Trinary digits are...

      --
      The mantra of impending doom: "Cooperate and Graduate"
    10. Re:1 digit by daeley · · Score: 1

      Binary digits are bits Trinary digits are...

      Trits. ;)

      --
      I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
    11. Re:1 digit by neizvestniy · · Score: 1

      are trits. Was something supposed to be funny about that?

    12. Re:1 digit by aacool · · Score: 1
      It's ternary, not trinary, methinks.

      From wikipedia,

      Ternary is the base 3 numeral system. Ternary digits are known as trits (trinary digit), analogous to bit. This system is also known as trinary.

      Although ternary most often refers to a system in which the three numerals, 0, 1 and 2, are all positive integers, the adjective also lends its name to the balanced ternary system, useful for comparison logic.

    13. Re:1 digit by Eric119 · · Score: 1

      From the very text you quoted: "This system is also known as trinary."

  8. I need to find a new primary news source. by Max+Threshold · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Shit, man. If they knew about the flare on Friday, how come somebody didn't say something, oh, Saturday or something? I totally missed the auroras.

    Is there a RSS feed where I can get this kind of news in a *timely* manner?

    1. Re:I need to find a new primary news source. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Sign up to the Spaceweather list at http://science.nasa.gov/news/subscribe.asp?checked =sw

    2. Re:I need to find a new primary news source. by spacecowboy420 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Shit, man. If they knew about the flare on Friday, how come somebody didn't say something, oh, Saturday or something?

      Because the same people that report to Bush about planes in the DC air space are responsible for reporting these events to the American People...

      --
      ymmv
    3. Re:I need to find a new primary news source. by drbill28 · · Score: 2, Informative

      You can also sign up for AuroraChasers. This will only give you a few minutes warning though. But it will tell you the exact Kp projection for your area. It's helpful if you want to see auroras.

    4. Re:I need to find a new primary news source. by Velox_SwiftFox · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Because they didn't have any idea that there was going to be an extreme geomagnetic storm on friday. On friday, there was just an ordinary M8 class flare on the sun. Nothing special, it didn't even seem to be aimed at the Earth, but for some strange reason a glob of solar spittle, carrying solar magnetic field with it, held together or constructively interfered with itself, and we got an extra dose of it.

      Kind of like the tornado sirens that go off after the tornado has passed. This was less a warning than a report of something that already happened.

    5. Re:I need to find a new primary news source. by Bad+D.N.A. · · Score: 4, Informative

      Actually it was pretty clear that a CME was coming. When a CME is large enough and fast enough it will drive a shock and these shocks accelerate energetic particles. We have spacecraft that detect these particles well ahead of the approaching CME. It was very clear only a few hours after the flare that the CME (or part of it) was heading this way.

      If you go to:

      http://www.sec.noaa.gov/ace/EPAM_7d.html

      You can see the low energy ions (the lower panel) and the electrons (upper panel).
      The initial burst of particles near the end of day 13 was followed by a steady increase in intensity that continued right up until the CME driven shock passed the spacecraft.

      --
      "Truth is much too complicated to allow anything but approximations"
    6. Re:I need to find a new primary news source. by kwerle · · Score: 1

      No shit!

      So much for "News for Nerds. Stuff that matters."

      How about "Dupes for Nerds. Stuff that mattered sometime last week."

  9. Great timing by Stripsurge · · Score: 5, Funny

    Two days ago something happened that could have caused some major problems. It didn't. Oh and be sure to catch the auroras yesterday. They sure were great. Thanks for the heads up ;)

    1. Re:Great timing by killjoe · · Score: 1

      The tagline says "news for nerd" well it's for nerds alright but it's not news if it happened two days ago. What's the opposite of news? "olds for nerds"?

      --
      evil is as evil does
    2. Re:Great timing by tehshen · · Score: 5, Funny

      What's the opposite of news?

      Slashdot

      --
      Guy asked me for a quarter for a cup of coffee. So I bit him.
    3. Re:Great timing by ZosX · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Two days ago something happened that could have caused some major problems. It didn't. Oh and be sure to catch the auroras yesterday. They sure were great. Thanks for the heads up ;)

      Unfortunately the article summary is wrong. I wish I had MOD points because unfortunately you are already +5 funny (should be moronic) and at the top of the page. I guess all I can do is call you an idiot and really say that the joke is truly on you. Since I actually took the time to RTFAs with the first one starting out rather correctly:

      NOAA ISSUES SPACE WEATHER WARNING
      Forecasters at the NOAA Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo., observed a geomagnetic storm on Sunday, May 15


      From the second article:

      What caused the display? A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field. Impact time: May 15th at 0230 UT.

      Thought I'd like to point that out. In the printed world things typically take a day or so to at least come out.

      On a side note the article summary is misleading and so full of hype that it oozes to be on the 11 o'clock news. Come on, can't you guys post better summaries, I mean geez, at least get the freakin date right or something!

    4. Re:Great timing by j.blechert · · Score: 1

      Forecasters [...] observed [...]
      err....

    5. Re:Great timing by Ark42 · · Score: 1

      My power went out last night for ~3 hours (2-5am or so) for no particular reason I knew of.

  10. Some other useful links by tqft · · Score: 3, Informative


    Scroll down to Satellite Environment plot
    http://www.sec.noaa.gov/today.html

    there is also a plot which will update live
    http://www.sec.noaa.gov/rt_plots/satenv.html

    --
    The Singularity is closer than you think
    Quant
    1. Re:Some other useful links by Stripsurge · · Score: 2, Informative

      This one has a nice map of where auroral activity is taking place and shows relative intensity.
      http://www.sec.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html

  11. What does this mean for the little man? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ok I know I am at zero karma, but can someone tell me if I should be worried or not? What do I expect from this?

    1. Re:What does this mean for the little man? by redJag · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just to be safe, I'd keep your little man away from it.

    2. Re:What does this mean for the little man? by some+guy+I+know · · Score: 2, Informative
      can someone tell me if I should be worried or not? What do I expect from this?
      1. No.
      2. An article about it on Slashdot that is about three days late.
        Oh, and some pretty pictures of aurorae posted on various web sites.
        Beyond that, not much.
      --
      Those who sacrifice security to condemn liberty deserve to repeat history or something. - Benjamin Santayana
    3. Re:What does this mean for the little man? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It means there are zombies roaming about. Zombies!! Lock your doors, and get a shovel, because huntin' season is open!

  12. Northen lights by Brtchlin · · Score: 5, Informative

    i guess that would explain the light show we saw up here in western canada tonight, very vibrant greens, blues, yellows violets and all dancing like mad. I wonder if anyone else in the world is getting them as well?

    1. Re:Northen lights by Agret · · Score: 1

      I didn't see them.....oh wait i'm in the south! DOH!

      --
      Have you metaroderated recently?
    2. Re:Northen lights by Muhammar · · Score: 1

      The auroras were observed all the way to Arizona and California. That's pretty south. Look up the NOAA page.

      I miss Arizona - the desert night sky there is the best that I have seen.

      --
      I doubt that we will ever figure out - and I suspect that even if we did figure out we couldn't do much about it
    3. Re:Northen lights by Lil-Bondy · · Score: 0

      poor me and agret... we are in the southern hemisphere, i personally havnt seen anything like this before, and i have always had an interest in them, its such a shame that i didnt see, or even know of this untill just now

      --
      Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. - HHGTTG
    4. Re:Northen lights by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, the Southern Lights were visible at around 45 degrees south last night in New Zealand

    5. Re:Northen lights by Jugalator · · Score: 1

      We might've got them over here in Sweden too (?), but in that case I missed them because I neither regularly read noaa.gov or is a fortune teller... or get outside my basement at night often. :-p

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
    6. Re:Northen lights by Agret · · Score: 1

      I'm a little further south than that ^_^ Australia!

      --
      Have you metaroderated recently?
    7. Re:Northen lights by zerbot · · Score: 1

      Didn't see anything in Seattle. Oh, maybe our perpetual cloud cover had something to do with that.

    8. Re:Northen lights by Lil-Bondy · · Score: 0

      both me and agret live in Melbourne/Victoria/Australia so i dont think we had much chance even if they got to australia

      --
      Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. - HHGTTG
    9. Re:Northen lights by sydsavage · · Score: 1
      Well, you may have been able to see the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, then. See, these magnetic poles, they tend to come in pairs. Apparently, there is one down there in your neighborhood, too.

      Read all about it.

    10. Re:Northen lights by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Um.. I think that was the Latin dance special on CBC..

    11. Re:Northen lights by jimwatters · · Score: 1

      Check out Clear Skys to see the posibility to see past the clouds in your area.
      http://cleardarksky.com/csk/

      The Northen lights happen about the clouds so a combination of sun activity and clear skys are needed to view them.

    12. Re:Northen lights by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      I guess that would explain why the Toronto area was cloudy the last few days. Every damned comet, meteor shower, eclipse, you name it, and someone turns the switch that rolls the clouds in. (And by area, I mean anywhere within a short drive to get away from the major light pollution.)

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    13. Re:Northen lights by GeckoX · · Score: 1

      The US of A is entirely confined to the northern hemisphere. Arizona and California are only 'south' insofar as their relativity to other places farther north.

      They are not, in fact, 'pretty south' at all with respect to the entire globe, which would matter when concidering a space event that affects the entire earth.

      --
      No Comment.
    14. Re:Northen lights by GeckoX · · Score: 1

      Short drive? So you mean a couple of hours then?

      Most of southwestern ontario has too much light polution to be able to see the northern lights except in the most extreme circumstances. I highly doubt the clouds would have made a difference.

      --
      No Comment.
    15. Re:Northen lights by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      If you drive far enough up Yonge St, you can always see Aurora. :) If you pick your location carefully, you can get a sky that's fairly dark without going all the way to Algonquin park.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  13. Funny I think... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's the point to issue an alert for an event that took place 3 days ago?

    I think that the The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration needs a faster internet connection.

    Did you know that 65 million years ago an asteroid hit the earth? Maybe on the news archive at NOAA we can find this news.

    1. Re:Funny I think... by zerbot · · Score: 1

      They issued their alert on the 13th, this is just a nice PR piece. You can see this months alerts at http://www.sec.noaa.gov/alerts/archive/current_mon th.html.

    2. Re:Funny I think... by Lil-Bondy · · Score: 0

      "Were on danger alert yellow... that means that something could be going down somewhere at some time" - American Dad (by the same guys as Family Guy)

      --
      Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. - HHGTTG
  14. This could be as bad as by doofer · · Score: 3, Interesting
    1. Re:This could be as bad as by Roland+Piguepaille · · Score: 1

      That one set telegraph lines on fire. This one didn't cause any physical damage.

      --
      To confirm you're not a script, please piss in my ear.
  15. Shouldn't affect the Internet by Teddy_Roosevelt · · Score: 5, Funny
    Possible impacts from such a geomagnetic storm include widespread power system voltage control problems; some grid systems may experience complete collapse or blackouts.

    Bah. What's the worst that could h...[NO CARRIER]

  16. A Sunday Morning Report by BRock97 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Hell, it would have been nice to know this in advance...

    As it was, got out of work about 0800Z Sunday morning and as I was driving home, thought I saw the most bizarre clouds. When I pulled into the driveway, there were these flashes that moved from west to east in the night sky. Since I live next to a small airfield, I assumed it was the lights from there, but when I looked in that direction, they were turned off. So, drove about 20 minutes west of the big city (damn that light) and was treated to a show that words cannot describe. This being my first aurora event, I had didn't know what to expect. I sat and watched for 45 minutes as the sky literally danced. About 30 minutes in, the aurora moved to right above my head and turned into a completely different show with different bands shooting out above me.

    To anyone who hasn't witnessed an aurora, take the time to travel someplace that you can view them. It is totally worth the trip.

    Judging by the POES Auroral Activity graphic, things are firing up again. Damn my luck that thundershowers are moving in to cloud things up....

    --

    Bryan R.
    The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, or $12.50 as seen on eBay.....
    1. Re:A Sunday Morning Report by Brtchlin · · Score: 1

      my huband and I live in a big city in canada (dont laff we think thier big...) lots of ambient light about, but the aurora was very bright and as you described, they danced and changed colours over and over again. Quite the spectical. We see them more frequently than our southern friends, but mostly in bright greens and blues.

    2. Re:A Sunday Morning Report by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      sounds like good lsd

    3. Re:A Sunday Morning Report by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      Quite the spectical.

      Canadians spell better than that. Would you say specticular? Of course not, you'd say spectacular. So it's spectacle.

    4. Re:A Sunday Morning Report by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      Oh, and not to mention it's they're as in "they are", not their. I thought you had hope, but it appears you're just plain stupid with that atrocious grammar and spelling.

    5. Re:A Sunday Morning Report by Brtchlin · · Score: 1

      Well, it was 2:30Am when i posted, but i guess everyone has to be a smartass with perfect grammar and spelling no matter what the hour, even when posting as AC, idiot.

    6. Re:A Sunday Morning Report by corblix · · Score: 1
      To anyone who hasn't witnessed an aurora, take the time to travel someplace that you can view them. It is totally worth the trip.

      Absolutely!

      Sadly, however, aside from occasional blips like this one, solar activity is in decline. The big spectacles follow an 11-year cycle, with the next peak in 2011, give or take.

      Another caveat: In high lattitudes it never gets very dark in the summer. Much better viewing in the fall.

  17. All Quiet... by dj245 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    All Quiet at the Deblois Wood Chip Power Plant. Not even a blip in the output voltage or vars over the past 12 hours.

    --
    Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
    1. Re:All Quiet... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      It would probably happen in some secondary system in the post-generation stages, like a transformer. Solar flares have often caused magnetic activity that has blown out transformers.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  18. Corrections by zerbot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What was observed on the 13th was solar flare activity. It doesn't become a geomagnetic storm until it reaches the earth, which it did on the 15th.

    Is it really that hard to copy the right information out of sources?

    1. Re:Corrections by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      RTFA'ing on Slashdot?

      You must be new here.

    2. Re:Corrections by SallyMac · · Score: 1

      I wasn't copying, I was paraphrasing with the wrong understanding. :) Thanks for the clarification :)

      --
      cleverly disguised as a responsible adult ||
  19. No. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The sun is fucking with your head.

  20. well then by ImaLamer · · Score: 2, Interesting
    What you need is Spaceweather PHONE from the folks at SpaceWeather.com

    Here is the list of "Space Weather Alerts" they offer:
    • Aurora warnings
    • Geomagnetic storms
    • X-class solar flares
    • CMEs (coronal mass ejection) and solar wind gusts
    • The Interplanetary Magnetic Field
    • Solar radiation storms

    They'll call you with alerts 48-hours in advance when possible. Pretty cool for $4.95/month. Anyone want to buy it for me as a gift?
  21. A Sunday Morning Report-Nature goes compact. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "To anyone who hasn't witnessed an aurora, take the time to travel someplace that you can view them. It is totally worth the trip."

    Welcome to nature's version of a fluorescent lamp.

  22. just to be sure.... by zxnos · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...i want to be sure i have this right, on a scale that ranges from 0-9, 9 is the 'highest'? fascinating.

    --
    always mosh clockwise
  23. Republican Weather. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "I think that the U.S. Gdubbyament is putting these breadcrumbs out so they preempt/outsmart the inquisitive TV media outlets in case something unforseen happens in their testing."

    Well that can't be true. According to slashdot, our news media is incapable of independent thought.

  24. Wrong write-up by Chran · · Score: 5, Informative

    Noooo ... A solar flare occured Friday, leading to a forecast about the K-9 geomagnetic storm which occured yesterday. Thanks for reading the articles before posting to Slashdot. Woohoo!

    1. Re:Wrong write-up by drbill28 · · Score: 1

      I know what you're saying. There's no time on the article. But it could've been posted before 3AM on the 15th. It was just very little warning. Also, the storm is still going on even now. Plus there can be additional minor storms over the next day. In fact I just got an email warning me that Kp has reached 6.0. Which is high for where I am now.

    2. Re:Wrong write-up by SallyMac · · Score: 1

      It was posted way before 3AM, FYI. I submitted it as soon as the posting was put on the NOAA site.

      --
      cleverly disguised as a responsible adult ||
    3. Re:Wrong write-up by SallyMac · · Score: 1

      I read the article completely - it was a misunderstanding on my part, not a lack of reading through. You shouldn't assume that even slashdot posters are perfect! :)

      --
      cleverly disguised as a responsible adult ||
  25. Yes! by ImaLamer · · Score: 4, Informative

    There are pictures from around the world (although mainly the US and Canada) at Spaceweather.com

    They have pictures from California, South Dakota, Kansas and Illinois. Actually, I now see two more pages of fantastic photos.

    1. Re:Yes! by BJH · · Score: 4, Funny

      They have pictures from California, South Dakota, Kansas and Illinois.

      "Around the world", eh? Spoken like a true American.

    2. Re:Yes! by zxnos · · Score: 1

      how can it be 'around the world'? the event lasted 3 hours or so and the other half of the globe was in daylight...

      --
      always mosh clockwise
    3. Re:Yes! by grcumb · · Score: 3, Funny

      " They have pictures from California, South Dakota, Kansas and Illinois. "

      '"Around the world", eh? Spoken like a true American.'

      You have to cut them a little slack. From where they stand, California and Kansas look like different planets. 8^)

      --
      Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
    4. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There were Southern Lights visible from high latitudes in Australia as well. Here's a 30-sec. exposure from north New South Wales:

      http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~gordon/20050515-9.23UT. jpg

    5. Re:Yes! by Kaydet81 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Actually the US does represent a fairly significant slice of the globe in both lattitude and longitude. Also when someone asks what's happening around the world it's pretty difficult to report on more than that with which one is familiar ... typically one would rely on someone in another true part of the world to report on what they know, to get the whole picture.

      QuitYerBitchin

    6. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hahah, well, when other countries start paying for NOAA, then we'll see about flying people out to their parts of the world to take photographic evidence of space crap. Otherwise, you'll have to take their word for it and see the pictures of the parts of the world that paid for such a service.

    7. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      although mainly the US and Canada

      He qualified it himself. I'm sure he appreciates your thoughtful response though.

    8. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, if you call 6 percent significant, then, yes.

    9. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      every single post @ slashdot without fail always turns into US bashing. Even space weather.

    10. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe he doesn't care about some shit hole European country to bother to mention it.

    11. Re:Yes! by sgtrock · · Score: 1

      Nope. They don't just look like different planets. Anyone who has visited both knows that they are different planets. In different solar systems. In different galaxies. :)

    12. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "There are pictures from around the world (although mainly the US and Canada)"

      Um, look at the site and you will see Norway, Ireland, Canada, Greece etc. Sounds like an exact description of the material on their web site.

      They may not fit into your stereo typed view of Americans, but you appear to suffer from an intolerant attitude. It might make you feel safer to think like this but it makes the world a more dangerous place.

      http://www.tolerance.org/hidden_bias/tutorials/

    13. Re:Yes! by Tophe · · Score: 2, Funny

      Since 6 percent is insignificant, please forward me 6 percent of your salary. Thanks.

    14. Re:Yes! by GeckoX · · Score: 1

      Um, pull out an actual globe sometime dude.

      Now, find the good ol' u s of a on there.

      Now, note that it does NOT include Canada, Mexico, the North Pole, Greenland or any of those other large masses of land around it.

      Now try to make that statement again with a straight face.

      World Geography 101.

      --
      No Comment.
    15. Re:Yes! by natophonic · · Score: 1
      You have to cut them a little slack. From where they stand, California and Kansas look like different planets. 8^)
      Acutally, the Kansas School Board has conclusively determined that, in addition to dinosaur fossils being one of Satan's more elaborate tricks, life on other planets simply doesn't exist.
    16. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are pictures from around the world (although mainly the US and Canada)

      What part of the above sentence did your vision fail you on?
      Oh wait I see you just wanted a chance to make your silly comment so you essentially edited out the "although mainly the US and Canada" disclaimer part so as to seem the author really was arrogantly referring to the states as the entire world.

      oooooh..I get it....you are a moron.

    17. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Re-read my post. It makes perfect sense, the US does cover a far more significant portion of the globe than many other countries like ... UK, Japan, Germany .... heck, we have States bigger than many countries.

      I stand by my post.

  26. Now I get it!!! by d474 · · Score: 3, Funny
    "This event registered a 9 on the K-Index..."
    ...So, a "0" on the "K" index means everything's gonna be "0K". I always wondered where that came from.
    --
    Authority questions you. Return the favor.
    1. Re:Now I get it!!! by michaelhood · · Score: 1

      German. Oll Korrect.

      reference

    2. Re:Now I get it!!! by dustmite · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That is most certainly not German, neither is the origin of the phrase "OK". Did you even read the link that you yourself posted? OK is an Americanism, originating in New York, and is a comical pronunciation of "All Correct". Now, a few people may dispute that explanation, but nobody thinks the origin is German. The first recorded occurrences of the word are all in the US.

    3. Re:Now I get it!!! by Tophe · · Score: 2, Informative

      The Straight Dope claims the letters come from the phrase "Oll Korrect." The phrase comes from a curious fad for "comical abbreviations" that swept the country in the 1830s and 1840s. The estimable Oxford Dictionary concurs, while also noting that the term has several foreign equivalents: the Scots "och aye," the Greek "ola kala," the Choctaw Indian "Oke." http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20050321.html

  27. K-Index more complicated than that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mostly for historical reasons, and let me tell you that the actual scale is even more complicated. When plotted in the 'native' format, it looks much like sheet music!

    And let me tell you as a practitioner of this subject, it is no joy to code the K-index in a numerical algorithm to model/predict the terrestrial impacts of such storms.

    Further, there is more than one "K-index", depending upon which geomagnetic observatories contribute to the making of the "K-index" value, and how they are averaged over the different geomagnetic observatories, which all lie at different geomagnetic coordinates. The most common one is Kp, for which one has values (0-9) such as 0-, 0, 0+ etc, which people like myself must translate into something a computer can understand.

    I won't get into the ap, Ap, or Dst geomagnetic storm indices here. Just be thankful that YOU don't need to know this stuff! :-)

  28. Chicken littles by krbvroc1 · · Score: 1

    The sky is falling! The sky is falli

  29. the weather of the past... by bdigit · · Score: 3, Funny

    is always alot more accurate once it has occured already. thanks slashdot for making sure we get the weather a few days after it has occured

  30. Re:Explanation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    10 choices should be enough for everybody... *ducks*

  31. Aliens by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe these aliens might have some knowledge about it.

    http://www.coasttocoastam.com/gen/page945.html?the me=light

  32. Re:Why only NOAA? Why not international? by GomezAdams · · Score: 2, Funny

    You've unconvered the great cover up. George Bush and Congelisa Rice have told Chaney to get his pals at Haliburton to create this really, really, top secret Giant Magnetic Device that will fry everyone's brain in the Blue States to clear the way for a Red State migration. The only protection against this new terrible weapon is to wear tin foil under your hat, or if you can find one, a fine holed, metal colander. If the holes are too large then the micro sized Federal agents riding on the magnetic pulses will be able to get through to whisper evil thoughts in your ear and plant tiny alien creatures from Area 52 that will eat your brain. Since you are the one who made this discovery and was foolish enough to post it on the Internet, expect black helicoptors to find you.... Oh no. It's too late. They have you in their sights. Run, run. Run like the wind and don't look back.

    --
    Too lazy to create a sig...
  33. 3-Hour K-Index Charts by trevdak · · Score: 4, Informative

    I found an automatically generated graph here:
    http://www.sec.noaa.gov/rt_plots/kp_3d.html

  34. so the dleay is caused by... by l3v1 · · Score: 1

    Maybe the 9K itself caused the warining to be posted after the whole shebang has already passed. At least people could've prepared to see great Auroras.

    --
    I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I can think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
  35. I wore protection! by bokane · · Score: 2, Funny

    Boy, good thing I was rockin' the tinfoil chapeau on Friday...

  36. No Problem here by DigiShaman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Noppepeee. Noo probbbblleem he 20934 hehrr. I don0932t kn203w what yo.....u are all2342 talking about. THe99999-9re is 980980 da800ta corrupt232342ion you2234 Say0--0????

    --
    Life is not for the lazy.
    1. Re:No Problem here by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      "Noppepeee. Noo probbbblleem he 20934 hehrr. I don0932t kn203w what yo.....u are all2342 talking about. THe99999-9re is 980980 da800ta corrupt232342ion you2234 Say0--0????"

      Good thing cell phones were unaffected!

      --
      "Derp de derp."
  37. With apologies to Dr. Streetmentioner by Stealth+Potato · · Score: 4, Funny
    Oh and be sure to catch the auroras yesterday.
    Yeah, they're going to have been great. :-)
    1. Re:With apologies to Dr. Streetmentioner by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Obviously the OP just got back from the time travel convention but forgot to reset his watch tomorrow.

  38. Anyone who uses the word pedantic by b00m3rang · · Score: 1

    is being pedantic.

    1. Re:Anyone who uses the word pedantic by hostyle · · Score: 1

      Quiet, you donnish prude!

      --
      Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.
  39. Your geekiness is revealed when... by CrackedButter · · Score: 2, Interesting

    When you are the first to mention the word "Ion" and "Storm" and then using them to create a joke in relation to the news article.

    1. Re:Your geekiness is revealed when... by lavaface · · Score: 1

      I've looked through the comments and couldn't find the joke you were talking about. Care to elaborate? ;)

    2. Re:Your geekiness is revealed when... by CrackedButter · · Score: 1

      What I said is the joke. The fact that I brought it up because I am referencing Star Trek. Hence me being revealed as the geek.

  40. Is this related to Earth's changing magnetic field by goat_of_wisdom · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I've read that Earth's magnetic field is getting weaker and will soon reverse its polarity. I wonder if a weakening magnetic field is more susceptible to these kinds of solar flares. (i.e. a normal flare results in a larger perturbation of Earth's magnetic field.)

  41. Literally by sound+vision · · Score: 0, Troll

    "This being my first aurora event, I had didn't know what to expect. I sat and watched for 45 minutes as the sky literally danced." So the sky became a person and started dropping it like it's hot? No, it didn't. I'm tired of people using the word "literally" to emphasize things with no regard for its meaning. Literally used to be one of those safe words (no BDSM refrence intended) that meant "No, I'm not exaggerating. I was really stuck 9 hours in traffic." Don't use words you don't understand the meaning of.

    1. Re:Literally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I think he meant littorally, since the lights were emerging and receding like waves, resembling a shoreline.

      Or maybe clitorally, jackass.

    2. Re:Literally by the+way,+what're+you · · Score: 1

      Literally used to be one of those safe words (no BDSM refrence intended) that meant "No, I'm not exaggerating. I was really stuck 9 hours in traffic."
      I think that's what the OP meant -- the sky wasn't exaggerating and was really stuck dancing in traffic for 9 hours
      --
      example.org - powered by Linux!
    3. Re:Literally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, the aurora literally looked like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. After a while he morphed into a dancing Battlefield Earth snot-pipe alien. Very frightening!

  42. Re:Why only NOAA? Why not international? by pv2b · · Score: 1

    You can't use tin foil. That's implanted with secret government RFID equipment they implanted in the tin ore making tin foil actually AMPLIFY the signal.

    You need to use aluminum foil. They haven't figured out how to taint Bauxite quite yet.

  43. Clarifiaction. by some+guy+I+know · · Score: 1

    Uh, to clarify answer #1, I meant "No." as in "No, you should not be worried.", not "No, someone can't tell you if you should be worried or not.".
    Also, the answer to #2 is what you can expect from this, which is not necessarily what you, personally, do expect from this.
    Sorry if that wasn't clear.

    --
    Those who sacrifice security to condemn liberty deserve to repeat history or something. - Benjamin Santayana
  44. Re:Explanation by jrockway · · Score: 1

    I believe that ThinkGeek has a shirt that says, "There are 10 types of people in the world: Those who get jokes where 10 (base 2) is actually 2 (base 10), and those who just got it and feel the need to explain it to everyone."

    Which one are you? :)

    --
    My other car is first.
  45. Re:Escape from LA? NOOOOOOOOOO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Look, freak. First, there was no mention of Ekscape from LALA anyware in his submissive. B, if you don't believe that a person can surf on an Earthquake-generated tidal wave and then jump from the surfboard onto the back of a moving vehicle, then that's your problem.

  46. By maximum devistation by Timberwolf0122 · · Score: 1, Funny

    By definition total destruction is the maximum devistation I would of thought possible in a 3 hour period, ergo, I should invest in new Sun Block 4000 (warning: frequent use may cause skin cancer)

    Also in answer to a question way up the top having a scale of 0-9 does have 10 increments(0's a number too!) and also takes less memory to store;-)

    --
    In the not too distant future, next Sunday A.D.
    1. Re:By maximum devistation by allanc · · Score: 1

      0-9 doesn't take any less memory to store than 1-10. You can only get 0-7 with three bits. Anything from 8 through 15 requires four bits. So a 9 and a 10 take the same amount of memory to store.

      Unless you're using binary-coded-decimal, of course, but people using binary-coded-decimal get what they deserve.

    2. Re:By maximum devistation by Timberwolf0122 · · Score: 1

      or if you store the two digits separately.

      --
      In the not too distant future, next Sunday A.D.
    3. Re:By maximum devistation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      9 = 1001
      10 = 1010

      less memory? :-P

    4. Re:By maximum devistation by allanc · · Score: 1

      That's what binary-coded decimal is.

  47. Re:Friday the thirteenth by The+Clockwork+Troll · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Lewis Vendredi made a deal with the devil, to sell cursed antiques.

    But he broke the pact, and it cost him his soul.

    --

    There are no karma whores, only moderation johns
  48. Wrong Day by OrGoN3 · · Score: 1

    According to the slashdot article, the geomagnetic storm of extreme proportions happened on Friday, May 13. However, the original article clearly states that they happened on the 15th, and that they predicted on the 13th that they would happen on the 15th. Would have also been great to mention what that meant: Northern Lights

  49. So that explains why... by FoXDie · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...my dead Grandpa started talking to me from my XM Satellite radio...

    In case you are wondering...

  50. Southern Northen lights by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The display was also seen in the South island of New Zealand http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/common/imageViewer/0,14 45,189919,00.jpg

  51. Slashdot, "Yesterday's Weather Today" by WatcherXP · · Score: 0

    Nothing better than yesterday's weather!!

    --
    09-f9-11-02-9* (G^GCA_++{>. RV>>>>+++ NO CARRIER
  52. Space Shipping Forecast by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There are warnings of Solar storms in regions Mercury, Venus, Earth and Moon.

    Mercury, Venus. Northerly Space Storm 9, imminent. Showers, good.
    Earth, Moon. Northerly Space Gale 8, increasing Northwesterly Storm 9, expected 0700 hours. Showers, good.

    And that concludes the Space Weather Warning issued by the Met Office at oh six hundred GMT, stardate 16/5/05.

  53. Slash Slow by WrongOne · · Score: 1

    Talk about news you CANT use... Basically slashdot is saying you missed your chance to see it. Maybe they dont have any one working over the weekend, to post these stories in a timely manner. Pending aurora = news.. Past aurora = NOT NEWS...

  54. As far south as Arkansas by Mz6 · · Score: 1

    Cruising around the NOAA pages a few days ago when this happened, they show live reports from where the Auroras were seen from. THe furthest south that I saw was Fayetville, Arkansas and San Diego California. Auroral activity was pretty strong!

    --
    Hmmm.
  55. Re:Why only NOAA? Why not international? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But wait, you know that what they sell as 'tin foil' is in actual fact aluminum foil, don't you? And now you tell me that this is actually a plot to make us happy when we finally find tin foil, which it turns out is actually filled with RFID equipment? AUUGH! Wait, now I get it... you're one of THEM, aren't you? Huh?

  56. Re:Is this related to Earth's changing magnetic fi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    The polarity has, and does indeed reverse; however, 'soon' on the scale in which we speak of these events is on the same order as other geologic or paleolithic phenomena:

    1000 years: Imminate
    1M: Soon
    100M: Long
    250M+: Distant

    While K-index values relate to maximum field purturbance, no, the solar ejectory matter was significantly above 'normal' (it was extreme), and this 9 K event was not an abbreancy related to the Earth's changing magnetic field.

  57. From this I see what's missing from ALL Sci-Fi... by FraggedSquid · · Score: 1

    is an Englishman moaning about the space weather.

    --
    You don't need a lab to make mud.
  58. Space weather... by Maljin+Jolt · · Score: 1

    ... is rather blameworthy this week. I am glad I am back home on Earth today.

    --
    There you are, staring at me again.
  59. I was unable to find a link but by Senor_Programmer · · Score: 2, Interesting

    back in the 1800's there was a period of solar activity that was so extreme that aurora was seen in the Carribean and telegraph operators had to disconnect or reverse their batteries!

  60. hard to resist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Oh wow, it's just like that movie I saw about that drug trip when I was on that drug trip." - Fry

  61. Patience... by HomerJayS · · Score: 1

    It is only a matter of time before the rest of the world comes over the to dark side and becomes part of the USA. Then, "America" will really be synonomous with "The World".

    Iraq and Afganistan are but stepping stones.

  62. Cell Service? by Huxley_Dunsany · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I'm located in southern Nevada, and I noticed that I was having terrible cell reception all day yesterday, and I don't think it was just me. I work in a large electronics store, and all day long (esp. in the afternoon), I overheard customers complaining that they were having dropped calls, or at least much more interference than usual. Would a storm like this have an effect on cell phone reception? I did notice at least one or two posts mentioning that short-wave radio was out yesterday...

    Just a thought.

    Huxley

    1. Re:Cell Service? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hell it was so bad I couldn't even FIND my cell phone!

  63. Slashdot article in error by laughing!oni · · Score: 2, Informative

    Actually, the geomagnetic storm was detected on May 15th. The solar flare that caused the geomagnetic storm took place on May 13th. Someone should correct that slashdot article.

  64. Re:Explanation by JavaLord · · Score: 1

    but having the digits 10 gives you four options....

  65. Re:First post? by ccarson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Apparently, the Earth magnetic field has decreased by 10% in the last 10 years. During my studies in electrical engineering sub-atomic physics, I learned that a particles velocity can be affected by magnetic fields. Based on Earths weakening magnetic field and the recent increase in solar intensity, I believe this may be one of the reasons causing global warming. If more radiation hits the Earth, shouldn't that also increase the overall temperature of the Earth due to particle scattering and can global warming be contributed to this? I've been bouncing this idea in my head for a while now and I can't see why this MAY not be true.

  66. Re:Explanation by ergo98 · · Score: 1

    Well since the original was "1 to 10", that would really be 3 options (0, 1, 10) as 11 would be above the cutoff.

  67. I saw this... by FooGoo · · Score: 1

    from Californian. I just thought Livermore Labs was doing something funky

    --
    People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them
  68. Protons by solarlux · · Score: 1

    See the second graph on this webpage for a graphical representation of the radiation levels. These are the events where radiation engineers on satellite programs find out if they did their job properly making their equipment hard against single event effects.

  69. Re:Explanation by jerde · · Score: 1

    2 options (1, 10) as 0 would be below the cutoff. :)

    --
    INsigNIFICANT
  70. Re:First post? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The problem with your theory is that the warming data points to an increase tied to the start of the industrial revolution with the main increase starting in the late 1800s.

  71. Solar Weather Data by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 3, Informative
    --
    It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
    1. Re:Solar Weather Data by Pchelka · · Score: 1

      The sources of realtime data mentioned in the post by Hoi Polloi are great - if you understand space weather and how to correctly interpret these data. I would guess that the average Slashdot reader does not. spaceweather.com and the main NOAA Space Environment Center are slightly better sources for a layperson. The Education and Outreach section of the Space Environment Center gives a good overview explaining what the geomagnetic indices actually mean. I'm always excited when we can see the aurora in the continental U.S., but I'm not quite sure I understand all the buzz about this geomagnetic storm. As far as I can tell, according to NOAA, this was only a G2 storm. This is a relatively minor event! It is near solar minimum, so geomagnetic storms of any magnitude are not very common right now and this was a special event in that sense. However, I don't remember seeing anything on Slashdot last November when similar levels of geomagnetic activity occurred. I have to admit I am a little perplexed by all of the sudden interest. Unfortunately all this sudden interest in space weather is a bit too late - NASA is probably going to cut funding for a lot of the programs that fund scientists who study the Earth's magnetosphere and space weather.

  72. Re:Scientists. Mine goes to eleven... by mnemotronic · · Score: 1

    With the Tapis Plan, we go to eleven. You see, these CMEs come along, and the scale these other blokes use only goes to 9. So, at 9, they're all the way up - all the way. Where can you go from there? Nowhere. So what we do, if we need that extra push into the lower ionosphere, Eleven.

    With apologies to the gang.

    --
    The Russians have won. They have made the world a cesspool of distrust, greed, fear and hate.
  73. Explains strangeness.. by EvilStein · · Score: 2, Interesting

    my GPS has been *really* inaccurate in the past few days. It's also way off on the altitude. (Mountain View, CA is not at 2,800 feet)
    Also my Sirius stuff has had more drop-offs than usual, even when the sky was clear outside.

  74. Re:First post? by ccarson · · Score: 1

    At this time, it's important for all parties to keep an open mind about global warming. Your notion that global warming is due to industry is as flimsy as my proposition that the warming is due to a weakening magnetic field and more intense Sun. Just like many things in nature, it's a combination of variables and in this case, we MAY both be right. Saying that there's a problem in my theory is conjecture until further evidence is established.

  75. Avoid Transporter use until storm passes by StefanJ · · Score: 1

    Using a transporter during this interval is just begging to end up in a parallel universe, or split into good and evil halves.

  76. Aurorawatch by shepuk · · Score: 1
    Real-time UK readings, and automated e-mail warning service here:

    http://www.dcs.lancs.ac.uk/iono/aurorawatch/rt_act ivity/

  77. Re:First post? by notasheep · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Except that his notion is also backed by scientists world-wide. Yours is backed by you. Though, I'd love to see some links to articles that back up your proposition - always willing to learn something new.

    Until then, I'll place my bet on the more established, and accepted, theory.

    --
    Your mind looks a little cramped. Why don't you stretch it a little?
  78. my poor, dead router by demonbug · · Score: 1

    Now I'm not saying that I know for certain that this storm killed my router, but SOMETHING sure did between Friday night and Sunday evening. Of course it was a D-Link, so it's just as likely it died of (un?)natural causes.

  79. Same idiot... by Namlak · · Score: 1

    Because the scale was created by the same idiot who programmed the snooze button on almost all digital alarm clocks.

  80. Bad weather in space by maduro55 · · Score: 0

    I was goining to go space truckiing today, I guess I'll wait.

  81. Re:Explanation by ergo98 · · Score: 1

    Ah man that was silly of me. You're right.

  82. Re:Friday the thirteenth by scottv67 · · Score: 1

    it cost him his soul

    Are you sure that you aren't thinking of the Dread Pirate Roberts? ;^)

    http://www.thisisawar.com/LaughterPB1.htm

  83. Re:so the delay is caused by... by Thuktun · · Score: 1

    Maybe the 9K itself caused the warining to be posted after the whole shebang has already passed. At least people could've prepared to see great Auroras.

    There was a fluctuation in the galactic Zone boundaries and we dropped into a slower Zone. Must be why I'm having computer problems today.

  84. Re:I saw this... too by mookie85 · · Score: 0

    I saw it in Oklahoma. We were out at my land (graduation weekend) and I happened to look up and me and the only other person that cared there started freaking out. It was pretty weak from down this south, but still cool.

  85. The myth about solar cycles/ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I see someone didn't bother to actually RTFA

    Link for idiots that can't RTFA
    1. Re:The myth about solar cycles/ by corblix · · Score: 1
      I see someone didn't bother to actually RTFA
      Link for idiots that can't RTFA

      Well, O Anonymous Coward, I did read the article. You pointed me to another one. I hadn't read it yet. Nor have I read thousands of other articles that were not linked to by the original post. How about that?

      In any case, thanks for the interesting info. May I suggest you consider being more polite about how you present such things in the future.