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Solar event raises concerns about stability of GPS signals
A solar flare 10 times stronger than anything researchers had previously observed or predicted surprised scientists last December, not only because of its

A solar flare 10 times stronger than anything researchers had previously observed or predicted surprised scientists last December, not only because of its size and strength, but because of the effect it had on GPS receivers and other communications systems. Now scientists are looking at previous data and trying to understand how these flares affect satellite signals, in the hope that they can one day prevent further disruptions.

According to NOAA solar forecaster Bill Murtagh, a solar flare is a brief, intense release of energy from the sun. After the flare erupts, radio waves radiate throughout the electromagnetic spectrum and can be detected across all frequencies, including the L1 (1575.43 MHz) and L2 (1227.6 MHz) frequencies GPS receivers use. This is known as a solar radio burst.

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