यदि कोई मुख्य सौर तूफ़ान (सौर प्रज्वाल) पृथ्वी पर पहुँचता है, तो पृथ्वी पर निम्नलिखित में कौन-से संभव प्रभाव होंगे ?
- 1.GPS और दिक्संचालन (नैविगेशन) प्रणालियाँ विफल हो सकती हैं ।
- 2.विषुवतीय क्षेत्रों में सुनामियाँ आ सकती हैं ।
- 3.बिजली ग्रिड क्षतिग्रस्त हो सकते हैं ।
- 4.पृथ्वी के अधिकांश हिस्से पर तीव्र ध्रुवीय ज्योतियाँ घटित हो सकती हैं ।
- 5.ग्रह के अधिकांश हिस्से पर दावाग्नियाँ घटित हो सकती हैं ।
- 6.उपग्रहों की कक्षाएँ विक्षुब्ध हो सकती हैं ।
- 7.ध्रुवीय क्षेत्रों के ऊपर से उड़ते हुए वायुयान का लघुतरंग रेडियो संचार बाधित हो सकता है ।
नीचे दिए कूट का प्रयोग कर सही उत्तर चुनिए :
Read this question in English
If a major solar storm (solar flare) reaches the Earth, which of the following are the possible effects on the Earth?
1. GPS and navigation systems could fail.
2. Tsunamis could occur at equatorial regions.
3. Power grids could be damaged.
4. Intense auroras could occur over much of the Earth.
5. Forest fires could take place over much of the planet.
6. Orbits of the satellites could be disturbed.
7. Shortwave radio communication of the aircraft flying over polar regions could be interrupted.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5 only · (b) 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 only · (c) 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 only · (d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English
Answer: (c) केवल 1, 3, 4, 6 और 7
Items 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 are genuine effects of a strong solar storm: it disturbs GPS, damages power grids, brightens auroras, drags on satellites and blacks out high-frequency radio near the poles. Tsunamis (item 2) come from undersea earthquakes and forest fires (item 5) are not an effect of space weather, so they are ruled out.
- ✓ 1. Solar-flare disturbances of the ionosphere range from errors of a few metres to complete loss of the GPS signal.
- ✗ 2. A tsunami needs an earthquake tremor centred below the ocean; solar storms do not generate them, at the equator or anywhere else.
- ✓ 3. Geomagnetic storms drive large ground currents (GICs) that can damage high-voltage transformers and have caused widespread power outages.
- ✓ 4. The same storms create the aurora borealis and aurora australis, and a strong one can push the northern lights as far south as Florida.
- ✗ 5. None of the recognised effects of space weather (radio, GPS, satellites, power lines, pipelines) is a ground-level fire hazard.
- ✓ 6. A strong storm heats and expands the upper atmosphere, raising drag on low-Earth-orbit satellites, which can slow them or make them lose altitude.
- ✓ 7. Near the poles, Earth's magnetic field funnels charged particles down. Severe space weather can cut radio contact with aircraft on transpolar routes, so they may need to reroute.
Remember · Solar storms hit technology: GPS, HF radio, satellites, power grids; and give auroras. They do not cause tsunamis or forest fires.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NOAA NESDIS, The Effects of Space Weather On Earth (Internet Archive copy) ↗ “The effects of solar flare disruptions can range from errors of a few meters to the complete loss of GPS signal. … GICs can flow into conductors such as power lines and damage high-voltage transformers. In the past, they have led to widespread power outages. … Extra drag can slow satellites in their orbit, or even cause them to lose altitude. … Planes flying on high-altitude transpolar routes must be aware of the space weather forecast before taking flight, as a loss of radio signal can prevent pilots from speaking with ground control. … a strong solar storm can cause the northern lights to appear as far south as Florida.”
- NCERT Class 11 · Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Chapter 3 “The effect of tsunami would occur only if the epicentre of the tremor is below oceanic waters and the magnitude is sufficiently high.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·