Earth's Magnetic Shield May Have A Crack

    • Indiatimes
    • Publish Date: Nov 4 2016 5:29PM
    • |
    • Updated Date: Nov 4 2016 5:29PM
Earth's Magnetic Shield May Have A Crack

A burst of galactic cosmic rays that indicates a crack in the Earth's magnetic shield has been recorded by the world's largest and most sensitive cosmic ray monitor, located in India. According to scientists, the burst occurred when a giant cloud of plasma ejected from the solar corona struck Earth at a very high speed causing massive compression of the Earth's magnetosphere and triggering a severe geomagnetic storm.

The GRAPES-3 muon telescope located at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research's Cosmic Ray Laboratory in Ooty in Tamil Nadu recorded a burst of galactic cosmic rays of about 20 GeV last year lasting for two hours.

The burst occurred when a giant cloud of plasma ejected from the solar corona, and moving with a speed of about 2.5 million kilometres per hour struck our planet, causing a severe compression of Earth's magnetosphere from 11 to 4 times the radius of Earth.

It triggered a severe geomagnetic storm that generated aurora borealis and radio signal blackouts in many high latitude countries, according to the study published in the journal Physical Review Letters this week.


Earth's magnetosphere extends over a radius of a million kilometres, which acts as the first line of defence, shielding us from the continuous flow of solar and galactic cosmic rays, thus protecting life on our planet from these high intensity energetic radiations.

Numerical simulations performed by the GRAPES-3 researchers, including Pravata K Mohanty, indicate that the Earth's magnetic shield temporarily cracked due to the occurrence of magnetic reconnection, allowing the lower energy galactic cosmic ray particles to enter our atmosphere.

Earth's magnetic field bent these particles about 180 degree, from the day-side to the night-side of the Earth where it was detected as a burst by the GRAPES-3 muon telescope around mid-night on 22 June 2015.


The data was analysed and interpreted through extensive simulation over several weeks by using the 1280-core computing farm that was built in-house by the GRAPES-3 team of physicists and engineers at the Cosmic Ray Laboratory in Ooty.

Solar storms can cause major disruption to human civilisation by crippling large electrical power grids, global positioning systems (GPS), satellite operations and communications. 


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Darshil Shah ST. XAVIERS - LOYOLLA -2 LOYOLLA 2

The technological advancements in today''s world have reached to a great extent and will continue to advance more and more. Great to know that scientists detects the future problems very early.

Nishi Upadhyay BHARTI PUBLIC SCHOOL (SWASTHYA VHR)

I didn''t know anything like this was even possible.

Ishika Jain BHARTI PUBLIC SCHOOL (SWASTHYA VHR)

Earth is a inhabitable place and Earth''s Magnetic Shield is the foremost source of defence against powerful and strong solar rays and radiations which can affect whole of the mankind adversely. Thus, this magnetic field is very vital for humanity. This crack can be vulnerable as it can endanger the life of human beings and can also risk the lives of the astronauts in space. Therefore, we need to prepare ourselves to deal with such a situation next time.

Bhavana Jaison Atomic Energy Central School No 2

It''s good our scientists detected it . Full faith in our scientists. They will take care how to solve the problem.

MANAS KUMAR BAL BHARTI PUBLIC SCHOOL (PITAM PUR

A source for pride and joy that this was detected by our scientists and our technology. We are developing fast in the field of astrophysics and soon the scientists will crack a solution for this problem as well.

Sarath Kumar RM Bethel Mat Hr Sec School

This detection really proves that India also have advance technologies in the field of space when compared to many developed nations. That''s really a good work and also an informative one.

Onkarpreet Bhavan Vidyalaya

It''s good that our scientists discovered this. Also, this should be a great matter of concern. This crack can affect humanity badly. We really need to prepare for the situation.

Vihan R. Yalamanchili DDMS P.OBUL REDDY PUBLIC SCHOOL

It''s interesting how such phenomenon could even happen. It''s good our scientists discovered it quite early. Such solar blasts could disrupt human life to a great extent by cutting off electricity, communications, etc.

DIWANSHI SHETIJA BHARTI PUBLIC SCHOOL (SWASTHYA VHR)

Hats off to our scientists.

Sharmeen Khan PADUA HIGH SCHOOL-MANKHURD

Its great to knowthat scientific technology in India has reached this far. Glad that our scientists detected this future problem. I hope they will find a solution to it.

SHUBHAM BANSAL RYAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

what a great info!!!!! scientists are too smart i din''t knew!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kavya Lilhare PRESIDIUM SCHOOL INDIRAPURAM

Can''t we set up a machine which can actually absorb these cosmic rays such as a specialized satellite or something of that sort. Or at least something which can reflect the cosmic rays in other directions? If this could be done then we have no fear for cosmic rays.

Hiya Kilam global indian internatonal school

If this leads to a huge problem in future, human beings along with technology can surely fix it. For now, its good that scientists can predict future problems today for a better tomorrow.

Mansi Borade PADUA HIGH SCHOOL-MANKHURD

I think it will create an huge problem to scientist and professional but,i now they will do it how much is possible for them. I blindly trust on them.So i am requesting to them that please see to it.

sai kiran SISTER NIVEDITA SCHOOL,Ameerpet

our scientist are great to find it out

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