Earth being bombarded by 500km/s solar storm which could affect technology - Daily Express

Solar storms can be detrimental to satellite-based technology as they can heat the Earth’s outer atmosphere, causing it to expand and making it more difficult for satellite signals to reach the ground.

Space Weather said: "A moderately strong G2-class geomagnetic storm is in progress on March 1st as Earth enters a high-speed stream of solar wind.

While this storm is relatively weak, one astronomer has warned there could be an increase in both frequency and power of solar storms in the coming years, due to the solar maximum.

The Sun follows 11-year cycles where it reaches a solar maximum and then a solar minimum.

During a solar maximum, the Sun gives off more heat and is littered with sunspots

Less heat in a solar minimum is due to a decrease in magnetic waves which travel through deep space

Over the past year, the Sun has moved into its solar maximum phase, and it could reach its peak in the coming years

Rami Qahwaji, Professor of Visual Computing in the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics at the University of Bradford, who invented a system NASA uses to analyse sunspots and predict solar flares, says technology could suffer when the solar maximum reaches its expected peak in 2025