Menacing Geomagnetic Storm to hit Earth today! NOAA issues warning

Earth is facing a Geomagnetic Storm risk today due to rising solar activity. Know what the NOAA report says.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Jan 23 2023, 09:40 IST
6 TERRIFYING solar storms that blasted Earth in 2022
Geomagnetic storm
1/6 On June 29, a surprise solar storm struck the Earth. The solar storm was not caused by coronal mass ejections (CME) but by a corotating interaction region (CIR), which opened a hole in the Earth's magnetosphere. It was a G1-class solar storm which is capable of causing shortwave radio blackouts and GPS disruptions. Interestingly, it coincided with the rare five planet alignment event.  (NASA)
Geomagnetic storm
2/6 Extremely rare pink auroras could be seen on November 3 near Greenland, after a G1-class solar storm slammed into the Earth. Solar storms usually give a greenish hue due to ionizing of Oxygen atoms. However, the CME in this case was able to reach the lower strata of the atmosphere which ionized Nitrogen atoms and gave off the rare pink aura.  (Representative Photo) (Pixabay)
Geomagnetic storm
3/6 On November 6, a powerful solar flare which was estimated to be an X-class solar flare caused temporary radio blackouts in Australia and New Zealand. The resultant solar storm blocked all high frequency radio waves making it hard for various emergency services and airlines that use radio communications to operate for multiple hours.  (Pixabay)
Geomagnetic storm
4/6 On August 7 and 8, a mysterious phenomenon was seen after a solar storm strike which scientists call STEVE (strong thermal emission velocity enhancement). A gigantic ribbon of purple light followed by a wave of green light could be seen in many parts of North America.   (@KaniskiDylan / Twitter)
Geomagnetic storm
5/6 A rare double solar storm attack was seen on March 14 when a G2-class solar storm was quickly followed up with another G1-class solar storm. Scientists believe that such multiple solar storm attacks are going to be more frequent in coming days as the Sun reaches the peak of its solar cycle. (Pixabay)
Geomagnetic storm
6/6 On October 25, the Sun seemed to beam a smile at Earth even as it spewed a stream of dangerous solar particles towards our planet. Multiple dark regions popped up on the Sun that gave an uncanny impression of a smiley face. The resultant solar storm from the event was noted to be a G2-class which is so strong that it is capable of causing fluctuations in electricity grids on Earth.  (SDO/AIA)
Geomagnetic storm
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Know more about the geomagnetic storm danger faced by Earth today. (Pixabay)

Disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field that occur when the planet's magnetic field interacts with charged particles from the sun are known as Geomagnetic Storms. These storms are caused by solar activity such as flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that send a burst of charged particles towards the Earth. Although this solar activity might seem harmless due to the distance of the Sun from our planet, they can cause major damage. When these solar particles reach Earth, they can interact with the Earth's magnetic field and cause it to fluctuate.

NOAA forecasters have revealed that Earth is at risk of a G-1 class geomagnetic storm which is expected to impact Earth today, January 23. According to the NOAA report, the area of impact of this geomagnetic storm will be “primarily poleward of 65 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude”. The organization has further warned that this geomagnetic storm could cause power grids in places of impact to fluctuate. As a result of this storm, auroras may be visible at high altitudes such as in Canada and Alaska. Therefore, skywatchers are advised to keep an eye out for the spectacular light show in the night sky.

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While the storm is not expected to cause damage, it serves as a reminder of the potential impact of solar activity on our technology-dependent society.

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How solar flares affect our tech

Fortunately, scientists can predict solar flares before they happen, and if they occur, it still takes time for them to reach our planet. This means we can get enough time to secure our tech before the solar flare can reach us. The part that really affects tech seriously is referred to as an EMP. It contains a bunch of charged particles and when they hit something conductive, they impart that charge on that conductive object, creating current in a part of a circuit that overloads a powered line. This can fry components and even melt wires when they become overloaded.

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First Published Date: 23 Jan, 09:29 IST
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