New research from American and British scientists suggests that satellites are at greater risk of high-speed solar wind than a major geomagnetic storm. Space weather researchers are at risk of directing orbiting satellites to calculated levels of electron radiation in the Van Allen radiation belts. This is a ring-shaped zone around the Earth, capturing charged particles. The geostationary orbit is located inside these radiation belts.
The study analyzed the years of satellite data, showing that the levels of electron radiation in the geostationary orbit can remain incredibly high for 5 days, even after the solar wind speed has decreased. As a result, electronic components on satellites can be charged to dangerously high levels and get damaged.
Previously it was believed that the greatest threat is represented by geomagnetic storms. However, new research is building a realistic and worst event. Here we are already considering cosmic weather phenomena caused by the high-speed solar wind hitting the Earth. This analysis is particularly interesting for the satellite communications industry. The fast solar wind is dangerous for satellites, since the geomagnetic field goes beyond the limits of the geostationary orbit, and the levels of EM radiation increase throughout the orbital path. Electronic components in satellites are usually protected from electrostatic charges by metal plates. You need to use about 2.5 mm of aluminum to achieve a safe charge level, which is much more than they are doing now. At the moment, the geostationary orbit is filled with 450 satellites, so it is expected that in the future, many will begin to signal malfunctions, and some will fail completely.
The solar wind is a stream of particles and a magnetic field flowing from the sun. It flows around the Earth’s magnetic field and activates “choral” plasma waves near the geostationary orbit. They disperse electrons and form Van Allen radiation belts. The waves also move along the geomagnetic field to the polar regions, where they are found in Antarctica.
