We’ll only have 30 minutes to respond and avoid the worst!

If a solar storm of at least this magnitude occurred that hit Earth in 1859 — the one that went down in the history books as the “Carrington Event” — all of our electrical infrastructure and communications networks would be threatened. And with them, entire peoples. As we approach the solar maximum of Cycle 25, this risk increases. Despite scientists’ efforts, the solar flares that cause these events are still difficult to predict. affiliate NASA researchers Confirmed today that they would have a hard time giving us a reaction time of more than… 30 minutes!

However, scientists reassure us. According to them, 30 minutes can be just enough time to prepare and avoid the worst in the most important fixtures. All thanks to satellite imagery and artificial intelligence.

Protect critical systems with AI

The researchers applied a method called deep learning – or Deep learning — to train their computers to correlate measurements of the solar wind — obtained through several ACE, Wind, or Geotail heliophysics missions — with geomagnetic disturbances recorded on Earth. Then they developed a model called Dagger – to Deep learning of geomagnetic disturbance — and is able to predict where geomagnetic disturbances will strike in less than a second, and that is, therefore, 30 minutes before they happen.

The computer code for the model can be accessed in open source. The researchers hope it will be adopted by power grid operators, satellite controllers, telecom companies, and others to apply these predictions to their own needs. And maybe one day, sirens will sound at power plants to temporarily shut down a sensitive system.