A Giant Breach in Earth's Magnetic Field

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/16dec_giantbreach.htmDec. 16, 2008: NASA's five THEMIS spacecraft have discovered a breach in Earth's magnetic field ten times larger than anything previously thought to exist. Solar wind can flow in through the opening to ''load up'' the magnetosphere for powerful geomagnetic storms. But the breach itself is not the biggest surprise. Researchers are even more amazed at the strange and unexpected way it forms, overturning long-held ideas of space physics.



''At first I didn't believe it,'' says THEMIS project scientist David Sibeck of the Goddard Space Flight Center. ''This finding fundamentally alters our understanding of the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction.''
(visit the link for the full news article) Related News Links:

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/081216-agu-solar-storm-shield-break.html

http://www.livescience.com/space/081216-agu-solar-storm-shield-break.html

http://iparrizar.mnstate.edu/~juan/astronomy_news.php ---- Caption
Above: A computer model of solar wind flowing around Earth's magnetic field on June 3, 2007. Background colors represent solar wind density; red is high density, blue is low. Solid black lines trace the outer boundaries of Earth's magnetic field. Note the layer of relatively dense material beneath the tips of the white arrows; that is solar wind entering Earth's magnetic field through the breach. Credit: Jimmy Raeder/UNH.

Leaks Found in Earth's Protective Magnetic Field
Hours agoScientists have found two large leaks in Earth's magnetosphere, the region around our planet that shields us from severe solar storms.



The leaks are defying many of scientists' previous ideas on how the interaction between Earth's magnetosphere and solar wind occurs: The leaks are in an unexpected location, let in solar particles in faster than expected and the whole interaction works in a manner that is completely the opposite of what scientists had thought.



The findings have implications for how solar storms affect the our planet. Serious storms, which involved charged particles spewing from the sun, can disable satellites and even disrupt power grids on Earth.



The new observations ''overturn the way that we understand how the sun's magnetic field interacts with the Earth's magnetic field,'' said David Sibeck of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., during a press conference today at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.



The bottom line: When the next peak of solar activity comes, in about 4 years, electrical systems on Earth and satellites in space may be more vulnerable.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/081216-agu-solar-storm-shield-break.html
A Giant Breach in Earth's Magnetic Field
Sattelites more vulnerable??? My God, I don't want that to happen:o!!! It could harm the Interwebz, and I love the Interwebz.A Giant Breach in Earth's Magnetic Field
So we gonna die?
Well, lets all panic.
You know what four years is?2012.
Let's see about 4 years... that's 2009, 10, 11... ... 12? 2... 2012? NO! :cry: The Mayan's were right!
So we're more vulnerable to a solar flare, eh?[spoiler] Holy cow, he's right! [/spoiler]
[QUOTE=''Theokhoth''] You know what four years is?2012. [/QUOTE]Can you help me get into God's glorious kingdom where the angels live in prosperity and blessed by the powers of the supreme ruler of the universe? I dont want to die...
[QUOTE=''tzar3''][QUOTE=''Theokhoth''] You know what four years is?2012. [/QUOTE]Can you help me get into God's glorious kingdom where the angels live in prosperity and blessed by the powers of the supreme ruler of the universe? I dont want to die...[/QUOTE]I don't think it works that way. :P
[QUOTE=''Theokhoth''][QUOTE=''tzar3''][QUOTE=''Theokhoth''] You know what four years is?2012. [/QUOTE]Can you help me get into God's glorious kingdom where the angels live in prosperity and blessed by the powers of the supreme ruler of the universe? I dont want to die...[/QUOTE]I don't think it works that way. :P [/QUOTE]Fine then meanie, I shall seek the intelligence and wise council of that particular union then...
Is this awesome? Y/N
[QUOTE=''tzar3''][QUOTE=''Theokhoth''][QUOTE=''tzar3'']Can you help me get into God's glorious kingdom where the angels live in prosperity and blessed by the powers of the supreme ruler of the universe? I dont want to die...[/QUOTE]I don't think it works that way. :P [/QUOTE]Fine then meanie, I shall seek the intelligence and wise council of that particular union then...[/QUOTE]I'm sure that they'll welcome you with open arms. >__>
Bush did it.
[QUOTE=''Theokhoth'']You know what four years is?2012. [/QUOTE]Not only that...but it'll be December 2012:oSomebody save me :cry:
It has to be a joke.
[QUOTE=''6_volts'']It has to be a joke.[/QUOTE]:lol::lol::):|:cry:
Visible at the bottom of the page is a giant link asking you, the near-devastated reader, 'Send this story to a friend'. Yes, because ruining his day is a nice thing to do.



Man, that's harsh. And about this part: ''The findings have implications for how solar storms affect the our planet. Serious storms, which involved charged particles spewing from the sun, can disable satellites and even disrupt power grids on Earth.''



May I ask what effects humans will experience? My eyes, my eyes!! :P



Let's see what happens. Sounds really, really bad, but why would they tell us? It's things like this this are kept under the table to prevent people from going crazy . . . [img]http://img115.exs.cx/img115/8895/signquestion3xd.gif[/img]
[QUOTE=''GamerBoy53''][QUOTE=''6_volts'']It has to be a joke.[/QUOTE]:lol::lol::):|:cry:[/QUOTE]Sorry, it just seems a little ''unrealistic'' to me. :S
Did Knowledge-Funk ever respond to my comments on his 9/11 thread? Specifically, about the bald-faced lies and distortions that he purports?
[QUOTE=''Theokhoth'']You know what four years is?2012. [/QUOTE]You stole my post. :cry:

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