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Government "complacent" over space weather threat?


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Posted
  • Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex (work in Mid Sussex)
  • Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex (work in Mid Sussex)

Are the UK government, and us as a whole, not taking space weather seriously? Are people aware of the threat to basic communications and the GPS signals that seem to rule our lives these days? In a Defence Committee report about Electro-Magnetic Pulses (EMP) – officials were warned that the UK was ill-prepared to deal with the effects of electromagnetic pulses from either weather or weapons. A strong pulse could, the report claimed, take out the GPS system, which is relied upon by the the military, transport systems and industry. A pulse could also disrupt electricity supplies and communications networks.

UK vulnerable to 'space weather events' and space-fired weapons, say MPs

Defence committee report says government must approach threats with seriousness they deserve

Britain is vulnerable to attack from space-fired nuclear weapons and "space weather" – the result of changes in solar activity – and the government is not doing enough to combat its potentially devastating impact, a cross-party group of MPs has warned. The likelihood of a severe space weather event has "the potential to cause damage to electrically conducting systems such as power grids, pipelines and signalling circuits", says a report by the Commons defence committee, which also claims Britain would be vulnerable to attack from space-fired weapons.

It describes space weather as a "naturally occurring phenomenon that can impact upon the Earth's environment in ways that are detrimental to key technologies in operation in space, the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth". "The term, space weather, generally refers to changes in the space environment near Earth, caused by varying conditions in the sun's atmosphere. Solar activity adheres roughly to an 11-year cycle, with solar activity increasing during a 'solar maximum', making space weather events more likely." The next solar maximum is predicted to occur in 2013, the committee notes. It says the government assesses the likelihood of an attack from either conventional or high-altitude nuclear electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) weapons to be low. However, certain states such as Iran could pose a realistic threat in future if nuclear non-proliferation efforts fail.

"The potential impact of such a weapon could be devastating and long-lasting for UK infrastructure," the committee warns. "It is therefore vitally important that the work of hardening UK infrastructure is begun now and carried out as a matter of urgency." The Ministry of Defence told the MPs that Britain's Trident nuclear missile "firing chain" was designed and maintained to ensure it could be used to retaliate in the event of a nuclear attack.

EMP disturbances, the report emphasises, pose a serious risk, not only to civil infrastructure, but to military systems and "ultimately national security". The lack of any clear line of responsibility within the MoD suggests it is unwilling to take the threat seriously, the report adds. It says the MoD must share information with those responsible for civilian infrastructure. The ministry did not provide the MPs with some information it holds about the likelihood of EMP weapons being used, contingency plans in response to the loss of the UK's electronic infrastructure, the role of the military in such an event, and the risk to satellites posed by space debris.

"The reactive posture described by the MoD appears somewhat complacent," says the report. "Prior war-gaming and planning is required to assess the likely involvement of MoD resources in dealing with the consequences of EMP events." It describes the security of satellites as a matter of increasing concern because of growing reliance on them and the sheer number of satellites in orbit. "The government must consider the long-term security of satellite technology and ensure that national interests are protected where we rely on other nations for data, such as GPS."

There appeared to be no single government department responsible for taking immediate responsibility in the event of a severe space weather event. "It is not good enough to say that that will depend on where the greatest impact fell," the report says. James Arbuthnot, the Conservative chairman of the defence committee, said: "Space weather is a global threat and may affect many regions and countries simultaneously. It is time that the government began to approach this matter with the seriousness it deserves.

"We are concerned that the government does not regard EMP from a nuclear blast as currently being a high risk and so we urge that more vigorous action should be taken to prepare for such an attack."

http://www.guardian....-weather-events

http://www.publicati...1552/155202.htm

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Posted
  • Location: Broxbourne, Herts
  • Weather Preferences: Snow snow and snow
  • Location: Broxbourne, Herts

The trouble is assessing in the cost. Ultimately it might cost a whole load more to set up bodies, administration and bureacracy to prepare and plan for such a threat then it does to actual deal with the consequences after it happens.

It's a bit like winter weather in this country. Everyone moans about why we are never prepared for it and how much money it costs as a result and how much inconvenience it causes.

But we could prepare for it......we could insist on the obligatory fitting of winter tyres at the end of each october until the end of each february. For a start this would impose an annual cost on motorists of around £150 per car for the purchase, fitting and storage of the tyres.....plus of course the cost of police resources and time to ensure that people complied. And then there's the cost of repairing roads which are damaged through the use of those winter tyres and the increased wear and tear on them.

In all, the annual cost could far exceed a decade of the cost of simply putting up with it.....in this winter,,,it would have amounted to a benefit for all of ten days in the south and east!

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Posted
  • Location: Kingdom of Fife: 56.2º N, 3.2º W
  • Location: Kingdom of Fife: 56.2º N, 3.2º W

Threat from space weather, space rocks, and cosmic cataclysm; probabaly less than once in a million years. Threat from rentman, mortgage company, banks, dole queue, rising fuel prices, blub, blurb, blurb; prety well a daily occurance.

Guess I'm one of the complacent ones!

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Posted
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.
  • Weather Preferences: Thunder, snow, heat, sunshine...
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.

As Frog has said above, there are other things (unemployment, for example) about which the UK Government really is being too complacent...

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Posted
  • Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex (work in Mid Sussex)
  • Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex (work in Mid Sussex)

As Frog has said above, there are other things (unemployment, for example) about which the UK Government really is being too complacent...

:clap: With the cost of fuel looking set to rise anyway, I might not need a GPS Sat Nav as I shan't be able to go anywhere!

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Posted
  • Location: East Ayrshire
  • Location: East Ayrshire

Absolutely complacent, no doubt about it.

The top priority location for investment on protecting the infrastructure would be the highlands, it's where the threat from EMP's and intense geomagnetic storming is greatest in the UK. Does anyone here see the UK government invensting billions up there .... no me neither.

The smart way to protect ourselves (the entire world) from such events is to club together a big pot of cash and build a satellite capable of measuring the solar wind then sending the data to us in real time, a little bit like what Nasa's ace satellite currently does. Where Ace fails though is the incredibly short warning time it provides which would be just 20 minutes for the sort of event that will affect infrastructure around the world. I dont think 20 minutes is enough to get the message out.

We need a replacement that will not be positioned 1 million miles away from earth like Ace is, but 10, 20 or even 30 million miles away so we get at least a few hours notice of a potential catastrophe. That way, operators of power grids, airlines and others who rely on a stable magnetic field can take measures to protect what we have.

I can't see a more logical or cost effective way of protecting us all.

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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

Okay you forgot about super volcano's theyt would probably have a even bigger impact. As weapons we can't afford to do anything about it so we leave that too america who can't afford it either but like playing at being a super power.

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Posted
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.
  • Weather Preferences: Thunder, snow, heat, sunshine...
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.

Apart from encasing all of the world's electrical generators, wires and appliances in lead, what on earth are we supposed to do about such unperdictable extra-terrestrial events, anyway??

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