Cosmic Fireworks: The Fascinating World of Solar Flares - Yashraj Sharma

 

What are Solar Storms?

Solar storms occur when the Sun emits enormous bursts of energy through solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). These phenomena send a stream of electrical charges and magnetic fields toward the Earth at about 3 million miles per hour!

• What are solar flares and CMEs?

A solar flare is an intense burst of radiation caused by the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots. It is one of the most significant explosive events in our solar system. Flares are seen as bright areas on the Sun and can last minutes to hours.

Coronal Mass Ejections are large plasma and magnetic field expulsions from the Sun's corona (outermost layer).

Effects of the Solar Storm on Earth

1. Public and amateur radio (used by citizens) is frequently disrupted. Communications, navigation, and even land surveying via land, water, and air use global positioning systems (GPS) to determine routes and locations based on satellite radio waves. These waves are disrupted and/or interrupted by the geomagnetic waves from the Sun.

2. Blackouts and power outages 

If a significant solar storm were to hit the Earth, the worst-case scenario would be the damaged power grids, resulting in blackouts. The geomagnetic currents induced by a solar storm can overload power grids and potentially cause transformers to fail, leading to widespread power outages. 

           One example of such a black is the Canadian blackout of 1989. 

This geomagnetic storm occurred on March 13, 1989. It caused a nine-hour outage of Hydro-Québec's (largest power utility in Canada and a significant player in the global hydropower industry) electricity transmission system.

The ever-so-mesmerizing ‘Northern Lights’

Earth’s magnetic field shields our planet against solar flares and CMEs. 

When a solar flare reaches Earth, as it is about to collide, it meets with the magnetic field and spirals around it. It then goes down into the poles of the Earth. This area is known as the 'Aurora Oval.' When these flares collide with the atmosphere's particles, they excite and cause them to rush. This excitement causes the particles to light up!

Hence, giving us wavy patterns and 'curtains' of light, these are commonly known as ‘Auroras’

Yashraj Sharma

Gyanshree School

X-D
Compiled from reading and sourced from references on Google Search.

What if our source of life disappered - Yashraj Sharma

 

George R.R. Martin rightly said that "Once the sun has set, no candle can replace it."

If our source of life, the Sun, were to disappear, humans would have no way to survive. You might have imagined that day, but what would happen if it happened? Our fate would be sealed. Seriously, what would happen on Earth? We would not notice anything until after eight minutes. There would not be any change in the temperature because our atmosphere and oceans have stored enough heat to last us a few weeks, but after that, things will start to get freezing. The ocean's surface would freeze over in two months, and humans would slowly disappear across the globe. As a result, there would be a lot of human carcasses lying around freely, as no one could bury the bodies properly, and they would rot away.

Let's now talk about what would cause mass disturbances in the solar system. The Earth's tilt would gradually increase because there would be no gravitational pull from the Sun. It would take longer to set it to a fixed tilt again.

The next question will come to us: will Earth stop moving?

The answer is no. Earth would continue to move at its original speed, just not on the path it used to. The planet would drift into interstellar space along with every other planet in our solar system. The entire world would be in a state of panic and worry. But we needn't worry about this happening anytime soon because the Sun cannot disappear and still has a long life to live!   

Yashraj Sharma

Grade: VIII-D

Gyanshree School

We Were Only Playing - Rishona Chopra

Playing is probably the best thing about childhood. I love playing, going out in the sun and running and having lots of fun; that is childhood. Here's a thing about playing - you don't need toys to play with. All you need is a friend, and that friend can be you.   

Making games to play with yourself is the art of playing. When I am bored, I make some slime and squish it with some chemicals and do experiments or while studying, I act as if I am a teacher and teach all concepts to imaginary children and sometimes to my parents too! 

Totto-chan had a pet. A pet comes with a lot of responsibility, but you always have a partner to share your feelings with. I sometimes wish I had a quiet puppy, but I am not ready to take the responsibility, and I think that if we keep a pet, we shouldn't keep it in a cage and bring it with its sibling or mother, so we don't separate the pet from their family.

The innocence of a child is all about their selfless compassion - In Japan, they call it - Omoiyari, a section of Ikigai. In the chapter, even though Totto-chan was bitten by Rocky, she cared even more and ensured he wouldn't be scolded.

Selfless compassion was mastered by Totto-chan at such a young age. But as we grow, we often start to think more about ourselves and not about others, but I bet when Totto-chan grows up, she will have mastered Omoiyari!

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School

Friendship - Aarohi Bumtariya

Hmmm, what does friendship mean? Let me tell you what it does. Friendship means making close friends. For example, I have a friend named Amayra. She had been only in pre-nursery with me. I am in grade 3 now. Still, she is my friend. That is called true friendship.

I have lots of other friends too. There are trees, plants, birds and animals. All help us in one or the other way. We also help them. This tells us that in friendship, one must help the other.

That’s yet not done. I also have Aryama and Janya. They have helped me many times. Friendship does not only mean helping each other but also having fun. Janya, Aryama, Amayra and I went to a resort to stay together as well!!! Not only that but we went cycling together in Biodiversity Park too! It was fun.

May it be the sun, the moon, the clouds, nature or children. They are all my friends. I love and care for all of them.

Aarohi Bumtariya

Grade III

Gyanshree School