Sun to swap its polarity within weeks: NASA

According to the US space agency NASA, the Sun’s magnetic field will reverse its polarity within weeks. Although the event is normal and not catastrophic, it will send ripple effects throughout the solar system.

Why the Sun switches its polarity?

The sun swaps its polarity, flipping its magnetic north and south, once every 11 years through an internal mechanism about which little is known.
The polarity change is built up throughout the eleven year cycle through areas of intense magnetic activity known as sunspots which gradually move towards the poles, eroding the existing opposite polarity. Finally, the magnetic field reduces to zero, and is swapped with the opposite polarity.

How the reversion of Sun’s polarity could affect us?

This event will not cause any catastrophe. However, the swap could cause intergalactic weather fronts such as geomagnetic storms, which can interfere with satellites and cause radio blackouts. The impact of the transfer will be extensive as the sun’s magnetic field wields influence well beyond Pluto, past Nasa’s Voyager probes positioned near the edge of interstellar space.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2013

Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs