Watching Out for the Perfect Solar Storm

Scientists announced that the stronger eleven-year solar storm cycle could start as early as this year or as late as 2008. The worst storms are likeliest to occur during the period known as "solar maximum," or solar max for short and should peak around 2012.

Solar storms occur when a powerful stirring takes place on the surface of the Sun –colossal amounts of energy are released in the form of a solar flare or a an explosive burst of very hot, electrified gases (coronal mass ejection) that may exceed the mass of Mount Everest.

The problems and possible damages of solar storms extend to power grids and GPS systems and other satellite-enabled technology also causing power outages, and exposing astronauts to high amounts of radiation.

To watch, study and observe such a grand and altering phenomena has called for new techniques and models to observe, if not prevent that perfect solar storm.

Hindcasting

The scientists stand sure of their forecast for 2012 because of Hindcasting, a new computer model that used accounts of old solar cycles to know how the sun should have behaved during eight past cycles, as far back as the early 20th century. Successfully "forecasting" the sun's past behavior, the scientists tell it is more than 98 percent accurate.

Helioseismology

Helioseismology is a new technique enabling scientists to predict the severity of the next cycle with more accuracy. Researchers could "see" by tracing sound waves reverberating inside the sun through computer simulations – an image of the interior-like ultrasound similarly with what creates a picture of an unborn baby.