Dr Ian Griffin: astronomer and Otago University director on the sun hitting peak solar energy

Experts have warned of the 'dangerous' consequences that come with the sun reaching peak solar energy.

NASA claimed this increases the possibility of geomagnetic storms, blackouts and global communication disruptions.

Astronomer and Otago University director Dr Ian Griffin says this means more solar storms are likely to occur, which increases the odds of seeing auroras - but there's a downside.

"So when the sun is at its maximum, where we see lots of spots on the sun, we tend to see lots of activity and lots of auroras. And sometimes we get these enormous storms that can impact on the power grid and do strange things to satellites in orbit."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talk SEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
In the last couple of weeks, we found out the
Sun has hit peak solar energy. That announcement was followed
this week with NASA warning about potential downside, so the
possibility of geomagnetic storms, blackouts and global communication disruptions. But
the solar maximum is also behind some of the most
beautiful auroras we have seen, and so it all sounds

(00:33):
quite extreme. We thought we'd get to the bottom of
what is really going on. So to help us out
is doctor n Griffin. He's an astronomer and director at
a Tiger University. He's with me now, good morning.

Speaker 3 (00:44):
Good morning. How are you doing.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
I'm really good. Now would you mind talking me through
what a solar maximum is and how often this occurs?

Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yes, So, the Sun varies over the course of an
eleven year period. This thing's called the soda cycle. And
what happens is the number of spots you see on
the Sun goes from hardly any at the start of
the sign called to loads and loads, which is what
we're seeing at the moment. And basically the sun spots

(01:13):
can create these big storms that come towards the Earth.
So when the Sun is at its maximum, when we
see lots of spots on the Sun, we tend to
see lots of activity, and we see lots of auroras.
And then sometimes we get these enormous storms that can
impact on the power grid and do strange things to
satellites in orbit.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
So I'm going to sound very simple here. So basically
over there to live in new period, does the Sun
just build up and build up and then it has
this release and that's what we call the maximum, and
then it kind of resets into the cycle again.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well it's a bit more gradual than that, so it's
not like there's done and then all of a sudden,
lots and lots. It slowly builds over the course of
the cycle. So here down here in the south of
New Zealand, even when the Sun is not very active
at solar minimum, we do see the occasional aur or
southern lights displayed. But over the last you know, the
last few months, it's been amazing, have been some of

(02:03):
the best of oral displays I've ever seen. We've been
looking for nearly fifty years now, so you know, and
that's all to do with this particular solar cycle, which
is a lot more active than people were predicting.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
And how long, sorry, and how long will it last?

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Well, the sol maximum lasts about a year and then
it slowly declines to another minimum in about five years time.
So at the moment we are, as NASA has officially said,
we're right at the peak of this particular solar cycle.
And actually that even right now, there's a group of
sun spots on the thunder about to face Earth, and
if they let rip in the next few days, we

(02:37):
may well get to see some more solar storms and
more auroras. So it's a really interesting time if you're
interested in the southern lights to kind of be living
at the moment because there's so much to see.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Absolutely, Now, what about we've sort of been warned about
the potential chaotic solar storms and the impact they can
have on us with our satellites and disrupting global communications.
Is that at the extreme end of things or could
that very much be expected?

Speaker 3 (03:02):
Oh? No, it certainly happened. I mean, back in May
of this year there was probably the biggest soda storm
of the last twenty odd years, and that particular so
storm was so powerful that the New Zealand grid they made,
they adapted it to make sure it wasn't going to
be damaged by it. But even so in places like Canada,
which was the plasting see isn't in May, some of

(03:23):
the tractors that were controlled by GPS started going wonky,
so you can get these effects. And actually back in
eighteen fifty nine, the biggest solar storm that's we've ever't
known about was so strong that back then the telegraph system,
which was the Internet of its day, was completely powered
up by the solar storm, and there are record of
telegraph operators getting electric shocks. So soda storms can be

(03:46):
particularly disruptive. And of course now we rely on the
power grid so much for our lives, protecting the grid
from the biggest sola storms is a very good idea.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
How else can humans be impacted by solar storm?

Speaker 3 (04:00):
Well, as I say, the main impact is if it's
a really enormous solar storm, it can potentially knock out
the power grid and take Almas, which is a very
bad day, but certainly also impacts on the satellite system.
And as I say, the storm back in May played
havoc with some of the GPS systems, and of course
lots of people rely on GPS to navigate and find
their way around, so that can be a real impact

(04:22):
on everyday life. And also some of the satellites that
Elon mustall waunched, the Starlink satellites, were impacted by a
soda storm a year or so ago when the soda
storm was so violent that it really impacted on their
satellite systems and some of them actually re entered a
little bit early. So you know, it can really impact

(04:42):
on everyday life and it's not something to be trifled with.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
So I think has crossed none of us. Happens, But
in the meantime we can enjoy these beautiful auroras absolutely.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
And what's been stunning about the auroras this year. Normally,
and I say, I live down on the South Island
in Dunedin, we get to enjoy them a lot down here,
but this year some of the auroras have been so
powerful people even north of Auckland have seen them and
that really is quite rare. So my observation is if
your listeners haven't had a chance to go and see
an aurora, it's definitely worth looking out for, especially if

(05:16):
you do live in the South Island, and some of
the auroras this year have been incredible. I mean the
one there was actually two weeks ago. There were two
within the space of three days, and both of them
the whole sky was glowing and it was just one
of the most amazing things I've ever seen, to see
kind of greens and reds and lights dancing and flashing
lights across the sky. A really good aurora is one

(05:37):
of the most beautiful things you can see. And of
course it's completely free of charge. Do you just look
up and look at it?

Speaker 2 (05:41):
There we go, oh look, Thank you so much for
your time. Doctor Ingriffin, astronomer and director at Ottago Museum.
They're talking us through the solar storms.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.