In 1859, a massive solar flare caused widespread disruptions to telegraph systems across Europe and North America, sparking fires in some cases. This event was later named the Carrington event. Researchers have since discovered that the Earth has been battered by even more extreme solar storms in the past.
Using radiocarbon dating, scientists analyzed tree rings to detect evidence of these extreme events. They found that solar storms cause disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic shield, which can damage satellites and disrupt global electricity grids.
One such event occurred around 14,370 years ago, towards the end of the last ice age. This extreme solar storm was so powerful that it would have dwarfed the Carrington event.
Radiocarbon dating has been used for decades to determine the age of objects. However, scientists have recently discovered that extreme solar storms can affect the amount of radiocarbon absorbed into living organisms like trees. This allows researchers to search for and precisely date these events.
The discovery of ancient solar storms is crucial for understanding physical processes on the Sun and Earth. It also provides valuable insights for predicting when the next extreme event might occur, which could have devastating consequences for our technological society.
Source: https://theconversation.com/scientists-have-found-evidence-of-past-extreme-solar-storms-their-return-could-be-disastrous-for-our-technology-based-societies-238855