How does sun spots effect the earths electromagnetic field, and how can we protect ourselves.?

Answer 1

Associated with sunspots are often coronal mass ejections (CMEs) which are huge bursts of particles. If the CME is aimed at the earth the influx of particles warps the shape of the earth's magnetic field and also causes aurora, can damage satellite electronics, and can induce huge currents in electrical lines causing blackouts.

Answer 2

CMEs associated with sunspots do have the largest impact on the terrestrial magnetic field of any other solar phenomenon. They tend to compress the field more or less depending on their size.

We don't need protection. Even in the absence of a magnetic field, not a lot of solar protons will make it to the surface of the Earth with dangerous levels of energy; the atmosphere is a pretty good barrier. That is why aurora, where charged particles are hitting the atmosphere in magnetic "bald" spots around the magnetic poles, rarely reach the ground.

Electronics do, however, need protection. Charged particles zipping through microscopic transistors in integrated circuits (aka computer chips) can generate large enough volatages to fry gates if they are currently "on." Some satellites will be manually placed into "safe" modes when a large ejection is on the way. NOAA has a website to help satellite owners decide when to do this.

The best evidence that life does not need much protection is history. Geological evidence indicates that the Earth's magnetic field undergoes a reversal every quarter of a million years or so, rather like the sun does every 11 years.

The field will be pretty much dead for some period during these reversals. Life might become measurably less comfortable in the form of increased cancer rates, however there are no extinctions clearly associated with these field reversals.

Answer 3

do not worry. the earth's electromagnetic field protects us, but a great burst of solar wind (contrary to popular belief, solar wind is actually a huge amount of radiation transmitted by the sun and other stars, not gas) may puncture the magnetic field and knock out some electronics. the earth is always spinning, that is how the electromagnetic field works, by the constant spinning of the molten metal in it's core. so it would fix itself almost instantaneously.