Hot Topic: Solar Storms: Protecting your Operations Against the Sun's 'Dark Side' (RMG218)
Zurich HelpPoint – Here to help make you a better risk manager
Monday, April 26, 2010
1:45 – 3:15 p.m.
BCEC 206A
Armand Fernandez – Zurich Services Corporation
John Kappenman – Metatech Corp.
Dr. Sten Odenwald - NASA
As if earthly risks were not enough, look skyward. Solar storms & resulting space weather – high-energy bursts of charged particles from the sun – can interact with our magnetic field and cause powerful geomagnetic storms with electrical surges that can disable power grids, transformers and telecommunications.
One of the largest severe solar storm that has ever occurred was in 1859. The benchmark for damage comparison was the telegraph systems in that era. In comparison, today we are much more dependent on the continuing operation of modern power grid and telecommunication.
The Department of Homeland Security takes the risk seriously enough to consider it a national security threat, and is studying the issue in advance of an anticipated upswing in solar activity in 2012. It could be a threat to your business as well.
This special session will consider the risks of solar storms and explore a variety of mitigation techniques that are being discussed in the scientific community and the utility industry.
For more information about this session, click HERE.