We cannot stop CMEs, but if we can predict them with reasonable accuracy, then we’re going to be able to tell which ones might impact Earth and when a BIG one may be coming. And knowing that we can plan for how to handle it, perhaps even shutting down our power grid and key systems pre-empively (thank you California, perhaps something useful came from Your wildfire fiascos after all).

CMEs are a real and present danger, and it is simply a matter of when, not if, a big enough one will hit Earth that will be devastating. So I applaud this research and think the results indicate they may be close to having a truly useful tool here.

John: Yeah, I think this was a terribly written press release. The focus should have been on what has been learned about the beginning of large solar flares. This science, as described in the release, is fascinating and shows real progress because of SDO.

The model is nice, but it is putting the focus in the wrong place. Kinda like what we did with the Wuhan virus.