Upcoming Solar Magnetic Field Shift Could Take Out Power Grid

The Sun’s magnetic field is shifting as it usually does during the peak of its 11-year cycle, but this time some odd changes are occurring. The North Pole is changing far more quickly than the South Pole, which is rushing to catch up. Until the lower pole gets back in sync, we will essentially have two South Poles on Earth.

The magnetic field of the Sun spans throughout the entire solar system, and is approximately four months from completing its cycle flip, according to NASA and NOAA scientists. The Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University is just one of a handful of facilities around the globe that routinely monitor the polar magnetic fields of the Sun.

“It looks like we’re no more than three to four months away from a complete field reversal,” said observatory director and physicist Todd Hoeksema. “This change will have ripple effects throughout the solar system.”

Another Stanford physicist, Phil Scherrer, said, “The sun’s polar magnetic fields weaken, go to zero and then emerge again with the opposite polarity. This is a regular part of the solar cycle. The sun’s north pole has already changed sign. Soon, however, both poles will be reversed, and the second half of solar max will be underway.”

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How could it affect Earth? A NASA release said the transition could “stir up stormy space weather” – and that could mean major solar storms. An Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME) could take out the power grid and completely derail life as we know it. As previously reported by Off The Grid News, the civil unrest which would occur shortly after the lights go out will likely claim a multitude of lives and cause the hording of food and weapons. A massive solar flare would not only render power grid transformers inoperable, but also cause fires that will grow unchecked if fire engines cannot roll. Vehicles manufactured after the early 1950s possess intricate electrical wiring and computerized parts which could be fried by the electromagnetic activity. A Faraday cage or other attempts to ground electrical components may save some items; but don’t count on being able to call 911 to get help.

The portion of the sun’s magnetic field which is preparing to shift is typically called the “current sheet” by scientists. The sheet is the surface which sticks out from the Sun’s equator region and carries a small electric current. The average amperage flow from the Sun’s equator is approximately 10,000 kilometers thick and billions of kilometers wide. When the magnetic field starts to flip, the current sheet becomes wavy. The planet Earth will weave in and out of the current sheet during its orbit around the sun.

While scientists and physicists readily agree that the Sun’s magnetic field shift will have an impact on Earth, they remain uncertain about the severity of the effect. In the coming months, the planet could become more cloudy or overall climate could fluctuate, or a strong solar flare could emerge and drastically impact our lives – if the CME is Earth-directed.

How concerned are you about the Sun’s magnetic field polarity shift and possibility of a downed power grid?