Marine Life Beaching: Are Solar Storms To Blame For The Strange Phenomenon?

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Solar storms, which is defined as a mixture of mass and energy occurring on the solar surface, is causing a large number of healthy marine life to be stranded on a land. Because of this, a scientist has conducted an investigation that has caused dolphins, porpoises, and whales to end up in the coastal areas of beaches around the world. While the using sonar-type equipment and man-made influences contribute to their internal compasses, experts suggest that the real driving force is greater.

The stranding event of marine life usually occurs in Australia, Cape Cod, Massachussetts, and New Zealand from as few as three animals to hundreds at once. "These locations share some key characteristics, such as the geography, gently sloping beaches, and fine-grained sediment, which we think all play some role in these events," said the director of IFAW's Global Animal Rescue Program Katie Moore. The solar activity has been suspected a long time ago as a contributor to the odd phenomenon, however, it's the first time for scientists to have it studied in depth.

Although several man-made influences are suggested to be included in the study, it turns out that such thing happens because of more powerful contributors such as the meteorological events and magnetic anomalies. This is associated with extreme tides during coastal storms and new moon, which are suspected to cause the marine life's disorientation. Meanwhile, Daily Mail Online reported that during a solar storm, the sun emits huge bubbles of charged particles and it intervenes the Eath-orbiting satellites and power grids. This occurrence does not only affect the magnetosphere but also the marine life as well.

NASA reported that a massive data-mining operation will be conducted with the help of BOEM and NASA's Science Innovation Fund. This is for the team to evaluate the large space-weather databases of NASA, which will include the space observations, field recordings, and stranding data collected. The team is expected to finish the study before September ends and publish its outcome in a scientific journal.