[SystemSafety] The Worsening Cosmic Ray Situation

[Chuck_Petras at selinc.com]

ECC memory anyone?

The Worsening Cosmic Ray Situation
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__spaceweather.com_archive.php-3Fview-3D1-26day-3D05-26month-3D03-26year-3D2018&d=DwIGaQ&c=zVFQZQ67ypsA9mYKSCqWmQHiVkCCaN-Gb60_N6TVnLk&r=zCwDz0h_ezUCVpbXoLT-zh0iTVdbymfdnT16kGAgelNE5W_nOFK-pESbjJCRy2gv&m=tOOBoe8GttFALe1zsz2QjjwNdHMq2zDiZoVruOpqT6A&s=mG18cd6baIpMrKYZUb1vISf3m8CZMraqP6h-XLavswY&e=

"The problem is, as the authors note in their new paper, the shield is 
weakening: 'Over the last decade, the solar wind has exhibited low 
densities and magnetic field strengths, representing anomalous states that 
have never been observed during the Space Age. As a result of this 
remarkably weak solar activity, we have also observed the highest fluxes 
of cosmic rays.'"

"But even on Earth the increase is being felt. Spaceweather.com and the 
students of Earth to Sky Calculus have been launching space weather 
balloons to the stratosphere almost weekly since 2015. Sensors onboard 
those balloons show a 13% increase in radiation (X-rays and gamma-rays) 
penetrating our planet's atmosphere"

"X-rays and gamma-rays detected by these balloons are 'secondary cosmic 
rays,' produced by the crash of primary cosmic rays into Earth's upper 
atmosphere. They trace radiation percolating down toward our planet's 
surface. The energy range of the sensors, 10 keV to 20 MeV, is similar to 
that of medical X-ray machines and airport security scanners.

"How does this affect us? Cosmic rays penetrate commercial airlines, 
dosing passengers and flight crews so much that pilots are classified by 
the International Commission on Radiological Protection as occupational 
radiation workers. Some research shows that cosmic rays can seed clouds 
and trigger lightning, potentially altering weather and climate. 
Furthermore, there are studies ( #1, #2, #3, #4) linking cosmic rays with 
cardiac arrhythmias in the general population."


Chuck Petras, PE**
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc
Pullman, WA  99163  USA
http://www.selinc.com

SEL Synchrophasors - A New View of the Power System <
http://synchrophasor.selinc.com>

Making Electric Power Safer, More Reliable, and More Economical (R)

** Registered in Oregon.

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