232 Solar Flare

The ***232 Solar Storm*** was the most powerful solar storm ever recorded in world history. It occurred approximately in late January, 232 AD, during the solar maximum of solar cycle 6. It involved a solar flare and its associated coronal mass ejection, which caused a catastrophic geomagnetic storm that resulted in the complete destruction of the world's power grid, as well as the annihilation of most active electrical appliances and artificial satellites.

   This resulted in a total breakdown of communications across the globe, as well as the collapse of social order and the dissolution of all known sovereign states of the Classic Era, such as the Byzantine Empire, American Confederation, the Second Sultanate of the Nicolides, and the Celestial Chancellorship. The sudden outbreak of various disasters such as global famines, disease outbreaks and wars, as well the deaths of most of the elderly and the disabled led to an estimated devastating 60% reduction of the world population, equal to a casualty figure of nearly 3.3 billion person.

Auroral displays occurred throughout the entire world, with some reaching as far as the equator in both hemispheres. Accounts originating from regions closer to the poles report that the night sky was brighter than the actual day due to the intensity of the auroras.

Due to the tremendous loss of physical and digital archives associated with the nature of the event and the chaos that followed it, most knowledge of historical events preceding 232 comes from the little extant physical documents that managed to evade destruction, second-hand or even third-hand sources written decades or centuries after the fact, or oral tradition.

## Global reaction to the storm

The lack of response to the catastrophe by all the known superpowers of the era has been a great topic of discussion amongst the scientific community. It is known that the solar cycle during which the event happened was the most active by far, featuring an immense number of sunspots per day and increased solar activity, and that another powerful solar ICME (yet not as powerful as the 232 event) passed extremely close to the Earth five years prior. As such, there should have been some precautions and measures taken to reduce the damage taken to the electrical grid.

It is unknown why the global response was nonexistent. What little records that managed to capture the event disclose that massive rebellions and riots occurred, yet there is no mention of any national armies fighting or even police institutions operating. That the destruction of communications and all electrical devices could have paralyzed the countries completely is considered a ridiculous concept; there should have been at least minute attempts at reinstating order.

According to an automatic report salvaged from a Celestia-owned satellite, hours before the solar flare erupted, powerful radio transmissions occurred throughout Siberia, their apparent origin being from the gulf of Ob. Why these transmissions happened or what caused them remains unknown.

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1. ↑ Although the popular name of the event is the **232 Solar Flare**, the actual cause of the catastrophe was the interplanetary coronal mass ejection that struck Earth's magnetosphere, a full day after the flare itself.
2. ↑ The fortuitous completion of several shielded underground bunkers in Western Europe, East Asia and North America, as well as the near lack of natural disasters such as hurricanes or severe winter storms during the early 3rd century dampened the population loss somewhat. According to a 641 study made by Abysinnian researchers, the lack of these factors could have resulted in a far greater reduction exceeding 98%.
3. ↑ The centuries-old advanced data banks and servers discovered beneath the Tibetan plateau have eluded all attempts at decrypting them.
4. ↑ Several controversial researchers have suggested the possibility of the lack of response being an intentional act.