What Is Solar Maximum? I Oxford Open Learning
Solar maximum

What Is Solar Maximum?


And What Does Solar Maximum Mean For Earth?

The term Solar Maximum will most likely be a hot topic in the media over the next 12 months. Despite sounding like the title of a Hollywood sci-fi apocalyptic epic, Solar Maximum simply refers to an important and scientifically fascinating real-world event.

The Solar Maximum, which is the period of peak solar activity during the sun’s approximate 11-year solar cycle will be occurring for the next 12 months.

Understanding The Solar Cycle Is Key To Understanding Solar Maximum

Before we can fully understand it we need to have a greater insight into the encompassing 11-year solar cycle that the sun’s magnetic field traverses through. Roughly every 11 years, the Sun’s magnetic fields flip, and the Sun’s North and South poles switch places. But it then takes a further 11 years for the North and South Poles of the Sun to flip back again.

Scientists can track the solar cycle by using powerful telescopes (based aboard Europe’s PROBA2 Spacecraft), which enable them to count the number of Sunspots that themselves reflect magnetic activity.

When the Sun has the least sunspots, known as the Solar Minimum, we know the sun is at the start of the solar cycle. But, over time solar activity increases, (reflecting changes in the magnetic field) and the number of sunspots increases. Although slightly counterintuitive, the mid-point of the solar cycle is known as the Solar Maximum, which is now, and is when the Sun has the most sunspots.

What Solar Maximum Means For The Earth

This Solar Maximum is more than just a visual phenomenon as there is also a surge in solar flares and coronal mass ejections erupting from the Sun. As a result of these eruptions powerful bursts of energy and material are sent into space which can impact Earth. It’s these relatively harmless phenomena that Hollywood has taken and run with to create the sun-inspired apocalyptic movie genre. But these eruptions are relatively harmless, and the average person won’t know anything about it. Although the naked eye can see the end products of this increased solar activity in the form of more vivid and stronger northern (and southern) light displays. This enhanced aurora borealis and aurora australis display occurs as a result of increased geomagnetic storm activity arising due to the Solar Maximum.

These solar eruptions generate space weather which can interfere with satellite electronics, and radio communications and even impact electricity grids throughout the earth. Again, it will be the responsibility of industrial engineers to preempt and manage these electro-magnetic disturbances and again the typical person won’t know much about it.

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I am a practising HR consultant working with several start-ups on an ongoing and ad-hoc basis in the London and M4 area, and am a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or CIPD. I am the Director of thecareercafe.co.uk; thecareercafe.co.uk is a resource for start-ups and small business. It includes a blog containing career advice, small business advice articles, HR software reviews, and contains great resources such as HR Productivity Apps.

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