Solar activity might disrupt GPS signals

[bcskier]

On the bright side, there will be more northern lights to enjoy.

http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/530090.html?nav=5018

 

[DougPaul]

The current solar cycle has been refusing to begin--IIRC, it is several years late. Very few sunspots have been seen in the recent past.

There was a period between 1645 and 1715 (the Manunder Minimum) during which sunspots were very rare. It coincided with the coldest part of the Little Ice Age.

Very intense solar storms can do (and have done) far more than just disrupt GPS signals, for instance, satellites could be destroyed and there could be massive power outages.

There is a prior thread on solar noise disrupting GPS signals: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19974. See, in particular, post 11: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showpost.php?p=215148&postcount=11.

Info on possible disruption: http://uc.gpsworld.com/gpsuc/content/printContentPopup.jsp?id=483210

Doug