Technology

While I agree with the fear mongering on solar storms, it is quite common for radio disruptions and GPS interference from solar storms. HF radios used by airlines and HAM radio operators work by bouncing light waves off the bottom of the ionosphere (~ 100km). When storms hit, it rapidly heats this region up, which causes expansion downward. This results in the radio waves either being absorbed or reflecting at lower altitudes causing communication difficulties. GPS satellites work by bouncing light between a transmitter (the satellite) and a receiver (your car for example). Solar storms produce showers of additional electrons that interfere with the light waves between the satellite and ground based instrumentation. These are fairly common occurrences during moderate geomagnetic activity that happens frequently during solar maximum and even solar minimum. Large storms are much less frequent (maybe a handful of times during each solar maximum) and that’s when you get continental aurora and total radio blackouts.

I don’t really think this is a matter of “fear mongering”, just warnings of what might happen so people know what to expect. Thankfully, there wasn’t much disruption that we noticed. My Wi-Fi and cell phone signal has been especially crappy today, but that could be unrelated.

Anyway, it’s not like the government had us all running into bunkers or anything. The articles I read simply warned of possible unreliability through the event.

No biggie.

And what's with all these fearmongering articles lately always claiming that a "massive" burst is gong to disrupt radios and GPS?

We're approaching solar maximum and a repeat of the Carrington event would destroy SO much of our infrastructure. it makes sense to be aware of such events and their sources.