Comments by "Winston Smith" (@kryts27) on "The Universe is Hostile to Computers" video.

  1. Most of the high energy cosmic ray radiation are bound by the galactic magnetic field, i know because i've done a postgraduate degree on cosmic rays, so most of the source probably is due to Supernovae, specifically Type II Supernovae. The sun "acts" as a block (via the solar wind pressure) to interstellar galactic cosmic rays. An active sun produces a higher solar wind pressure, so we get fewer events of high and ultra-high galactic cosmic ray interactions (including in computer chips). Conversely, a less active sun allows more of these events to occur. An active sun however, is compounded by the increase likelihood of a solar flare. These flares, when they occur, project a particle storm stream from the sun, hundreds of millions of kilometres into the solar system. If this stream passes a long way from Earth, all is well. However, if this stream passes by the Earth then the particle storm has the potential of shutting down or damaging satellites and causing failures in computers/telecommunications and even electrical grids at high latitude (polar) regions and countries.
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