Are SOLAR STORMS causing whales and dolphins to swim aground in their hundreds?

Solar storms could be the cause of marine animals healthy to lose their way, leaving stranded on Earth by hundreds.

Scientists have launched an investigation into the mysterious phenomenon because of whales, dolphins and porpoises find themselves stranded along coastal areas in the world.

While the anthropogenic influences, as the use of sonar-type equipment, could play a role to intervene in their internal compasses, researchers say the real driving force is probably more extreme.

Severe solar storms could be causing healthy marine animals to lose their way, leaving them stranded on land by the hundreds. Scientists have launched an investigation on the mysterious phenomenon that has caused whales, dolphins, and porpoises to get stuck along coastal areas

Stranding events can affect as little as three or several hundreds of individuals both.
And, they are more likely to occur in New Zealand, Australia and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

These places share some key features, such as geography, gently sloping beaches and fine sediments, we think that all play some role in these events," said collaborator project Katie Moore, the global Animal Rescue Program Director of IFAW.

Researchers have long suspected the solar activity can contribute to this weird phenomenon, but this is the first time, it is studied in depth.

Many other explanations have been proposed, with some suggesting the use of pollsters multibeam and other instruments used to map the ocean floor or locate potential fishing sites are playing games with their internal compasses.

"However, these anthropogenic influences do not explain the majority of strandings," said NASA heliophysicist Antti Pulkkinen.

Stranding events can effect as little as three or as many as several hundred animals at once. And, they’re more likely to happen in New Zealand, Australia, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. A beached humpback whale calf is pictured in Alaska

Theories as to the cause include magnetic anomalies and meteorological events, such as extreme tides during a new moon and coastal storms, which are thought to disorient the animals.

‘It has been speculated that due to the possible magnetic-field sensing used by these animals to navigate, magnetic anomalies could be at least partially responsible.’

During a solar storm, the sun ejects giant bubbles of charged particles.

This is known to interfere with Earth-orbiting satellites and power grids, as the particles slam into the magnetosphere.

‘So far, there has been very little quantitative research just a lot of speculation. What we’re going to do is throw cold, hard data at this.

‘It’s a long-standing mystery and it’s important that we figure out what’s going on.’

The study is expected to run through September, and could provide new insight on the mysterious phenomenon.

‘The results of this study will be informative for researchers, stranding network organizers, resource agencies, and regulatory agencies,’ Reeb said.

‘If we understand the relationship between the two, we may be able to use observations of solar storms as an early warning for potential strandings to occur,’ added Moore.

‘This would allow stranding responders in global hotspots, and really around the world, to be better prepared to respond, thus having the opportunity to save more animals.’

THE IMPACTS OF SOLAR STORMS 

• If Earth's magnetic field was hit by charged particles from a solar storm the effects could include:
• - Electric grid disruption
• - Radar interference
• - Solar cell damage
• - Telecommunication cable disruption
• - Pipeline corrosion
• - Loss of synchronisation of global internet
• - Airline passenger radiation

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