Geomagnetic storm alert issued as CME grazes Earth; Know the solar storm danger today

With Earth going through the Vernal Equinox, solar activity is impacting the planet with increasing frequency. As we approach the solar maximum, it is only expected to increase further. Just a few days ago, the Sun spewed out a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) towards Earth. It was a huge eruption and was designated as the ‘Canyon of Fire’ by NASA. This CME was hurled towards Earth and a potential solar storm danger arose. Now, forecasters have revealed that the CME has indeed impacted Earth and a geomagnetic storm alert has been issued.

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Geomagnetic storm alert

According to a SpaceWeather report, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the expulsion of the CME on March 17. It then set a course for Earth and grazed the planet’s magnetic field during today’s early hours. NASA says while it did not immediately spark a geomagnetic storm, it could still take place later in the day as Earth passes through the CME. Thus, a geomagnetic storm alert has been issued as the solar storm danger is still looming.

The report states, “Arriving hours later than expected, a CME struck Earth's magnetic field on March 21st (0230). The weak impact did not immediately spark a geomagnetic storm, although such a storm is possible later today as Earth passes deeper into the CME's magnetized wake. This is the CME hurled into space by a dramatic filament eruption earlier this week.”

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This geomagnetic storm alert has been issued at a time when Earth is facing a period called Vernal Equinox. During this period, the Russell-McPherron effect comes into play where even the weakest solar winds can seep through the Earth’s magnetic field and spark a solar storm. This is due to a semiannual variation in the effective southward component of the interplanetary field.

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