Description

What would happen if critical infrastructure were disrupted, such as the electric grid, pipelines, transportation, communications, satellites, navigation? Worse case scenario: food, fuel, and pharmaceutical production and delivery would be halted resulting in a multiyear electric grid recovery with up to 90% casualties. Can this happen? The 1859 Carrington event disrupted telegraph system and sparked fires. The 1921 geomagnetic storm, also known as the New York Railway Storm, disrupted signals/switching, halting NYC trains and sparking fires.

Older technology was far more robust than modern semiconductor electronics. What would happen today? Which US areas are most vulnerable? What are coronal mass ejections? Solar flares? This course will cover solar storms, Earth’s shield (magnetosphere), geomagnetic storms, terrestrial effects, historical examples and mitigation measures.