What protects the Earth from the solar wind and coronal mass ejections?

magnetosphere
Generated by powerful, dynamic forces at the center of our world, our magnetosphere shields us from erosion of our atmosphere by the solar wind (charged particles our Sun continually spews at us), erosion and particle radiation from coronal mass ejections (massive clouds of energetic and magnetized solar plasma and …

What might happen if a strong coronal mass ejection from the sun hits the earth?

Impact on Earth When the ejection is directed towards Earth and reaches it as an interplanetary CME (ICME), the shock wave of traveling mass causes a geomagnetic storm that may disrupt Earth’s magnetosphere, compressing it on the day side and extending the night-side magnetic tail.

How can we protect against solar flares?

Individual Surge Protectors: For added protection, or in the absence of a whole house surge protector, install surge protectors on computers, TVs, stereos, and other electronics in your home. Unplug Electronic Devices: Simply unplugging electronic devices will also ensure that they aren’t zapped by a power surge.

What protects Earth from solar flares?

Earth’s magnetic field, or magnetosphere, stretches from the planet’s core out into space, where it meets the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emitted by the sun. For the most part, the magnetosphere acts as a shield to protect Earth from this high-energy solar activity.

How are astronauts protected from solar flares?

Earth’s protective magnetic bubble, called the magnetosphere, deflects most solar particles. The International Space Station cruises through low-Earth orbit, within Earth’s protection, and the station’s hull helps shield crew members from radiation too.

How are satellites protected from solar flares?

However, on the surface of the Earth, we are well protected from the effects of solar flares by the Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. This increases the drag on Earth-orbiting satellites, reducing their lifetime in orbit.

Can CME cause earthquakes?

Magnetic storms caused by CMEs are supposed not only to affect modern technology such as GPS, but also the solid Earth’s crust, triggering earthquakes. As such events happen considerably more frequently during solar Sunspot Maxima, it is of interest, whether earthquake occurrence resembles these cycles.