Will solar storms destroy civilization?

The current "solar tsunami" may create a dazzling aurora in the night sky — but could it also mark the beginning of a long, dangerous cycle of sun storms?

A large explosion on the surface of the sun on Sunday sent a tidal wave of electrically charged particles toward Earth, say scientists. While the discharge is likely to create aurora borealis–like effects in large sections of the northern sky, it may also mark the beginning of an 11-year cycle of solar storms that have the potential to cause serious disruption of technological systems. (Watch a History Channel segment on what causes sun storms.) Here's the lowdown:

Is this week's event a solar storm?
Yes, and it's the first to be directed at Earth for "quite some time," say astronomers. It is predicted to cause a "killer light show" in northern regions of the globe, and may be visible from some parts of the United States.

What are solar storms?
Also known as a solar flare, a solar storm is a series of large explosions in the sun's atmosphere caused by magnetic instability.

Could this weekend's explosion pose a threat?
This one will provoke nothing more extreme than a dazzling light show. But scientists say this could be the start of a low in the sun's 11-year life cycle, making this potentially the first in a long season of solar storms. More serious ones could cause immense damage to our infrastructure.

How could sun storms damage our infrastructure?
A serious sun storm emits massive amounts of radiation capable of creating havoc with our technological systems. The X-rays and UV radiation emitted by powerful solar flares could, in theory, disable satellites and communications equipment.

So our cell phones might not work?
Correct. But a massive burst of energy could also fry electrical grids. Power in wide areas might fail, or surge dangerously, causing fires. Navigation systems — such as those on commercial airliners — could be disabled, and the global financial system brought to a grinding halt. Such an event, warns NASA, might "cause 20 times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina."

Has it ever happened before?
There was a "solar tempest" in 1859 that caused telegraph wires to short out across the U.S. and Europe, starting multiple fires. With today's modern technology, the effects would be much, much worse. A minor solar flare in 1989, for instance, caused a massive power outage across Quebec, Canada.

Is there any way of stopping this?
No, but scientists can put satellites and power grids on "safe mode" if they can figure out how to predict when a sun storm will occur. NASA is collaborating with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration to improve its space weather forecasting, and a group of scientists recently congregated in Washington, D.C. to discuss how to protect the planet from powerful bursts of energy from the sun that have the potential to devastate civilization.

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