CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) and resulting GeoStorm
Overview
A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) happens when a solar storm or sunspot explodes and blows solar material out into space. Some times these eruptions are pointed at the earth. These protons can interact with out ionosphere to disrupt the geomagnetic fields, thus producing current in electrical wires. The disruptions can also impact satellites and radio communications.
The effects of the resulting disruption in our geomagnetic field (geostorm) would be immediate. With in the same moment the power grid, vehicles that are reliant on micro chips, computers, the internet, gas pumps, sewer treatment facilities, municipal water supplies, farming equipment, would all go off line.
Due to the fact that replacements parts can be shipped when the trucks, trains, and airplanes are also broken, and the fact that there is a 1-2 year lead time on certain components of our electrical grid, we would be looking at a multi-year event should this ever happen.
History (Has this happened before?)
On somewhere around the 1 or 2 of September 1859, a giant G5 (the highest class of geo storm) was caused by a massive CME. The resulting Geostorm cause the Arora borealis to be observed as for south as Hawaii. Telegraph operators where shocked and in some cases the charge that telegraph wires produced caused fires. This of course all happened before our modern day electronics which would be fired by a similar event.
In 2012 we almost had a repeat Carrington level event. Thankfully this solar storm was not aimed at the earth, had it been, we would have been looking at an estimated US$600 billion to $2.6 trillion in damages and it would have taken an estimated 4- 10 years to recover.
What can be done:
Prepare to live life with out electricity, cars or modern communication technology. Use a Faraday cage to protect electronic equipment you might want to use post CME and Resaulting GEO Storm. Vote for and advocate for resilience in our power grid, transportation, and other vulnerable sectors.
Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrington_Event
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_2012
https://scijinks.gov/what-was-the-carrington-event/