University’s university scientists in Sweden found traces of a strong solar storm that occurred about 9,200 years ago. This is reported in an article published in the Nature Communications magazine.
Researchers analyzed the ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica, determining the peaks of the content of radioactive isotopes Beryllium-10 and Chlorine-36. These isotopes are produced by high-energy cosmic particles reaching the atmosphere of the Earth. According to the calculations, the previously unknown storm hit the Earth during the calm phase of the Sun, when the probability of such events is very low.
The ratio of isotopes indicates that the event exceeded the strength of two times any other similar event in the entire history of instrumental observation. The storms of this force can potentially lead to disastrous consequences, including the disconnection of electricity and damage to satellites. They also represent a danger to airplanes, astronauts and communication systems.