Since it has been pointed out that the solar explosion phenomenon called "solar flare" will become more active in the future and may affect the infrastructure of society, the national government is considering strengthening the forecast of the impact on society. started.

Sun Actively active around 2025

The sun has a cycle of activity, and three years later, around 2025, the sun will become active, so a huge explosion phenomenon called "solar flare" will increase, and the accuracy of GPS that provides location information will decline and the power grid. It has been pointed out that there is a risk of affecting social infrastructure such as power outages.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has set up a new meeting called "Study Group on the Advanced Way of Space Weather Forecast" consisting of experts and held the first meeting in order to strengthen the observation of solar activity and the forecast of its influence.



In this, it is assumed that the warnings issued by research institutes according to the scale of "solar flare" will be changed to five-step warnings considering the impact on society, etc., around June. The report will be compiled in.



Since GPS location information is also used for automatic driving of cars and operation of drones, countermeasures are being discussed overseas as well.



Shingo Yamaguchi, Chief of the Space Communications Policy Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, said, "While the next peak of solar activity is approaching three years from now, we would like to consider measures to prevent major impacts such as the suspension of economic activity in Japan." Was there.

Past influences ...

"Solar flares" have caused large-scale power outages in the past.



According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications


, a large-scale power outage of about 10 hours occurred in Canada in 1989, affecting 6 million people.


In 2003, a power outage of 1 hour occurred in Sweden, affecting 50,000 people. received.



It is also known that the accuracy of GPS that provides location information is reduced.



In Japan, in the same 2003, some functions of JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's artificial satellites were impaired.



According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, if "solar flare" occurs in the future,


▽ obstacles such as radio and shortwave broadcasting


▽ power outage of power grid ▽ exposure

of


aircraft crew members

▽ automatic driving of cars and drones due to deterioration of GPS accuracy

It is said that there is a risk of affecting

operations .