STORY:
2000 To See Peak In Solar Storms

The Y2K computer bug may be unfairly blamed for power outages, cellular phone and pager disruptions, satellites veering off-course in the Year 2000. Scientists say the year will see a cyclical maximum in the number of sunspots and flares, solar storms and other space weather that will cause geomagnetic problems on earth.

Richard Altrock of the Air Force Research Laboratory in Sunspot, New Mexico is quoted by Reuters as saying geomagnetic storms on earth and other results of the increased solar activity are expected to reach their 11-year peak between January and April 2000.

He also predicted the number of sunspots in the coming maxima, dubbed Cycle 23, will reach approximately 160, roughly the same number as seen during the most-recent two peaks in 1989 and 1979.

Scientists expect radio communications disruptions to occur, the sky sky phenomenon known as northern lights to be created and satellites to lose altitude. The magnetic fields in the sky also create currents on the ground, usually small and subtle but which can be magnified via long high-voltage power lines.

This can burn out power companies' electrical transformers and cause power outages such as occurred in 1989 in parts of the East Coast and across Canada's Quebec province.

Scientists are planning round-the-clock monitoring, using a satellite to monitor the solar winds, and can give companies and the public 30- to 60-minute advance warnings of increased solar activity incidents to help them prepare.

Source: Reuters

DATE: 6/01/99

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