A solar storm in the form of a coronal mass ejection (CME), as a result of a giant solar explosion, struck Earth with a geomagnetic storm, disrupting dozens of spacecrafts and satellites. Similar solar weather events are possible in the coming hours and days.
Giant Solar Explosion
SPACE, SPACE: This 19 August, 2004 NASA Solar and Heliospheric Administration (SOHO) image shows a solar flare(R) erupting from giant sunspot 649. The powerful explosion hurled a coronal mass ejection(CME) into space, but it was directed toward Earth.
Astrophotographer Miguel Claro captured an image of the giant explosion on the Sun's surface earlier in February, showing a CME which caused a minor geomagnetic storm on Earth. The image won second place at the royal Observatory Greenwich's Astronomy Photographer of the Year (APY), Newsweek reported on Wednesday, February 22.
The CME struck Earth's protective magnetic field on February 9 and caused the said magnetic storm on February 10. Astronomer Ed Bloomer told Newsweek that some decent natural light displays were seen at high latitudes during the solar storm.
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What is a Coronal Mass Ejection?
CMEs are large expulsions consisting of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's corona, the outermost layer of our star's atmosphere.
These solar storms can eject billions of tons of coronal material and highly-energized particles travel outward from the giant star at speeds ranging from 250 kilometers per second to as fast as almost 3,000 kilometers per second, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
The SWPC says that fastest Earth-directed CMEs can reach the Blue Planet in a matter of at least 15 to 18 hours. Meanwhile, slower CMEs can arrive to our planet by several days.
The intensity of these solar storms depend on how strong highly twisted magnetic field structures (flux ropes) in the Sun's lower corona are stressed and realign into a less tense arrangement in a process called magnetic reconnection, the prediction center explains.
Magnetospheres
As mentioned earlier, CMEs can cause geomagnetic storms that disrupt radio frequencies and satellite communications after hitting the magnetosphere, a region around the planet dominated by the planet's magnetic field, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) explains.
Magnetospheres are also present in other planets in the solar system, but ours has the strongest one out of all the rocky planets. Dubbed as protective barriers, these magnetic shields have played an important role in our planet's survival and proliferation since its formation around 4.5 billion years ago, NASA adds.
The Carrington Event
Prehistoric solar storms in the form of either CMEs or solar flares have struck the planet with not only magnetic storms but also other space weather hazards like solar radiations and radio blackouts. However, the most intense geomagnetic storm occurred in 1859, since solar cycle recordings started in 1755.
In 1859, a large solar storm from the Sun struck Earth, spanning from September 1 to September 2 as part of the Solar Cycle 10. It resulted in strong Aurora Borealis displays reported globally and caused sparks, even fires in multiple telegraph stations worldwide.
In particular, the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights were reported as far as Panama in Central America. A few people in Florida at that time have ever seen an aurora, which lighted up the sky at the start of September, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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