One of the most terrifying events scientists prepare for today is a CME. A Coronal Mass Ejection. If a major one happened today it could be absolutely catastrophic, not only to the US but for the entire world.
We have been missed by more CME's than most people would care to know. However, do we really know what to expect if we are hit with one today?
On September 1–2, 1859, during solar cycle 10 (1855–1867). A solar coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetosphere and induced the largest geomagnetic storm on record. The associated "white light flare" in the solar photosphere was observed and recorded by British astronomers Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson.
The CME was so strong that it fried telegraph lines around the world. Sending sparks skidding down the lines, it is even reported that some of the telegraph operators were shocked. The massive amount of energy actually set fire to papers in multiple telegraph offices as well. The strange part though, was that some operators reported their messages would still send, even with systems disconnected.
While there were few "serious" outcomes due to the CME, the telegraphs were not the only effect the massive storm brought. As the energy hit the multiple layers of our atmosphere new and more intense Auroras were seen around the world.
The Northern lights were seen as far south as the Carribean. The Aurora's over the rocky mountains in the US were so bright and vibrant it woke gold miners, who started making breakfast because they thought it was morning.
People in the Northern US could read a newspaper by the light of these new Auroras. New lights could also be found in places such as Mexico, Cuba, Hawaii, Japan, and China. This seems to be a beautiful moment, but in reality should be horrifying to human-kind. What people were realistically seeing was massive amounts of solar energy attempting to cook us, blown away and glancing off of our protective atmosphere.
Now, how did this happen, and will it happen again? It is not only a matter of if, but when, and how bad. We have been extremely lucky throughout history as far as CME's are concerned. A massive CME missed earth in 2012, by a minor 9 days worth of rotation by Earth. Multiple times, this has happened, but with the Carrington Event, we were not so lucky. Actually, a prior CME released by he sun in our direction cleared much of the way for the Carrington CME to get through to hit us.
All of this leads us to our main question. What if we were hit head on by a similar CME today?
The outcome would be far and away worse than the time of the Carrington event. Beginning with the space around us.
A modern day CME would be catastrophic to our World. We are far more advanced, and dependent on our Technology than we were in 1859. A major CME would assuredly knock out and fry multiple satellites in orbit, including any space station as well. Sadly, the astronauts would likely be trapped in a failing station, or unable to survive the blast in any rate.
Satellites would fail, and possibly fall out of orbit. This would knock out GPS, military, and comms satellites. There would be mass panic as even militaries around the world struggle to communicate with those in power. The energy would, again create and extend massive colorful aurora's in the sky. That would be the least of our concern as the energy continues toward the ground level.
It is completely possible that planes would be effected as well, causing multiple crashes. The energy, much like the telegraph lines before, would shoot along power lines. this would further disrupt communication, yet also could overpower and ignite the transformers on the lines. this would cause hundreds of thousands of small explosions along likely high movement areas around the world.
At the end of the day, it is not entirely the event itself, but the aftermath. If we are extremely unluck and get a monster CME it could in theory peel back Earths atmosphere, leaving us all open to the vacuum of space. Even an event that does what is described above could leave much of the world scared and scrambling to rebuild for decades.
So, yea, wear your sunscreen!!