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Nasa's Iris mission has been observing the Sun's surface and its outer layers, where the temperatures can reach up to 2,000,000 degrees centigrade, with explosions of plasma moving at hundreds of kilometres per hour. This mission has been designed to help get a better understanding of space weather, as solar storms and flares have the potential to disrupt power supplies, transport and communications systems here on Earth.

Image of a Solar Storm (Courtesy of The BBC)

Earth Magazine goes into solar activity in more detail, looking into its possible effects and the vulnerability of power grids and satellites. If a massive solar storm hit the Earth, the impacts could be the worst that mankind has ever faced. If power was lost for a few months or years, commerce would stop immediately, with only a few shops remaining open using cash. Most fuel stations, pipelines and ATMs would stop as soon as the power was lost, shortly followed by land phone lines and mobile phone lines, along with water and wastewater treatment. Medical treatment would also shut down as hospitals would eventually lose electricity too. Emergency services and law enforcement workers would stop working to be with their families, along with power grid workers, making restoration even more difficult. There is also a nuclear concern, as reactors would shut down and melt down. We have become dependent on technology, opening us up to more risks and vulnerabilities. Flares and storms may also affect satellites, as they can be knocked out of their orbit, or their electronics may be damaged.
So the development of understanding of solar activity is vital for helping us to predict when they will happen so that we can be prepared. The most at risk areas are in the north, as that is where solar storms are likely to be most severe. The chances of an event this severe are very low, but it would leave over 100 million people cut off from electrical power.Resilience needs to be built, so that communities can cope with the disaster. Scientists, engineers and government officials are discussing the space weather threat and actions are being taken, but we still don't know when the next strike will occur. But don't worry, us geologists will save the day and figure it all out!