Exeter train delay blamed on a solar storm was in 1848, not 1841, researchers say
A study finds a dating error in an 1871 account, so the Exeter incident is no longer the earliest known case of space weather disrupting technology.
A train delay in Exeter, England, long dated to 1841 and blamed on a solar storm, actually happened seven years later, according to ScienceDaily, which published material provided by RMIT University.
The incident first appeared in an anonymous account in the journal Nature in 1871. That account described a "very intense magnetic disturbance" on October 18, 1841, which interfered with railway signals and delayed the 10:05 p.m. departure by 16 minutes. If that date were right, it would be the earliest known case of space weather disrupting human technology.
A team led by Lancaster University, with scientists from RMIT University, the British Geological Survey, Natural Resources Canada, Baylor University and RAL Space, found a problem with that date. The Exeter-to-Starcross railway line named in the report did not open until 1846. The study was published in the American Geophysical Union journal Space Weather.
“In this study, we effectively investigated what had to be a typo in a Nature paper from 1871.”Brett Carter, Associate Professor, RMIT University
The researchers compared railway timetables and newspaper reports with records of solar activity, aurora sightings and digitized measurements of Earth's magnetic field. Together, these pointed to October 18, 1848.
The revised date changes the event's place in history. ScienceDaily reported that the title of earliest known incident now belongs to telegraph interference on Britain's Midland Railway in March 1847.
The researchers argue the finding matters because it shows how long space weather has affected technology. Professor Jim Wild of Lancaster University, who led the study, said space weather "is not a new threat but a long-standing natural hazard." He said the Exeter delay remains "one of the first clear examples of solar activity disrupting critical infrastructure."
According to ScienceDaily, solar storms can still interfere with power systems, railway signals, satellite navigation and communication networks. Dr. Mike Hapgood of RAL Space said that understanding past events is "essential for preparing for, and mitigating, the impacts of space weather," and pointed to a new solar cycle in the 2030s.
Some questions remain. Wild said the event "almost certainly" happened in 1848, which leaves a small margin of doubt. The report does not identify the anonymous author of the 1871 account or explain how the error came about. It also gives no details of the 1847 Midland Railway incident that now holds the earliest place in the record.
