May 16, 16 Etc Bad For Gps

[Z15]

May 15, 2005 — Forecasters at the NOAA Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo., observed a geomagnetic storm on Sunday, May 15, which they classified as an extreme event, measuring G-5—the highest level—on the NOAA Space Weather Scales.

 

Possible impacts from such a geomagnetic storm include widespread power system voltage control problems; some grid systems may experience complete collapse or blackouts. Transformers may experience damage. Spacecraft operations may experience extensive surface charging; problems with orientation; uplink/downlink and tracking satellites. Satellite navigation may be degraded for days, and low-frequency radio navigation can be out for hours. Reports received by the NOAA Space Environment Center indicate that such impacts have been observed in the United States.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Get out the aluminum hats.

[Bill93]

I saw the biggest aurora show of my life Sunday morning from 0230 to 0300 CDT in eastern Iowa. There were major displays from the north to well past vertical and some flickering went as far as Scorpio in the ecliptic plane.

 

I tried the handheld GPS at that time and got 15 foot indicated accuracy, which was about the best I would have expected at that location under good conditions. Sunday afternoon I couldn't get anything better than 15 ft under conditions that I would have hoped for 8 or 10 ft. Did not try it since then.

 

What have other people experienced?

[holograph]

There was only one reading I took at an adjusted location (most of the time I don't bother to record readings at adjusted locations). If I recall, the GPS estimated an accuracy of 12 feet. The reading I took was off by 0.1 seconds seconds latitude, 0.0 seconds longitude. That's an actual error of 10.12 feet at about 4 pm EDT on Sunday, about as good as it ever gets.

[+Harry Dolphin]

That explains my DNFs! Actually , we were checking the coordinates of a cache that we are hiding. I was within 7' last week, and Sunday, it claimed 32' off! Today it was back to 7'. We were starting to worry about it.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

I did not get anything really(GPS readings),but I did have a massive headache all day.

 

I just now get it.

It's the Geomagnetismic convergence of the poles at aphelion.

 

[+BuckBrooke]

GEO,

Umm, the solstices and aphelion (Earth's closest approach point to the Sun on its elliptical orbit) and perihelion (farthest point) are not linked. Perihelion is two weeks off the winter solstice right now. They occured on the same day in 1300 AD, and perihelion will be on the March equinox in 6000 AD.

 

The change is due to the precession of Earth's orbit in the plane of the ecliptic, and interestingly may have some effect on long climate changes.

 

Although, your headache may have been residue of the recent magnetic pole shift reported in certain online forums. Apparently the government hasn't told anyone. :-)

 

Buck

Edited May 17, 2005 by BuckBrooke