Illustration of a coronal mass ejection impacting the Earth’s atmosphere. These events, CMEs for short, are powerful releases of solar charged particles (plasma) and magnetic field, travelling on the solar wind. When a CME hits Earth, it can cause a geomagnetic storm which disrupts the planet’s magnetosphere, our radio transmissions and electrical power lines. They can damage artificial satellites and cause long-lasting power outages. Humans in orbit are also very vulnerable to these events, whose high-energy particles are not shield by typical spacecraft.
Illustration of a coronal mass ejection impacting the Earth's atmosphere. These events, CMEs for short, are powerful releases of solar charged particles (plasma) and magnetic field, travelling on the solar wind. When a CME hits Earth, it can cause a geomagnetic storm which disrupts the planet's magnetosphere, our radio transmissions and electrical power lines. They can damage artificial satellites and cause long-lasting power outages. Humans in orbit are also very vulnerable to these events, whose high-energy particles are not shield by typical spacecraft.
A severe solar storm, potentially the most powerful in nearly two decades, is forecast to hit outer space this Friday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Late Thursday, NOAA issued its first Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch since 2005, the year Earth experienced its most intense radiation in fifty years.
The anticipated storm could disrupt GPS systems and power grids and might illuminate much of the country with a spectacular aurora. This alert follows a series of solar flares that began on Wednesday, with multiple large plasma expulsions from the sun detected, setting the stage for the potential disruptions. NOAA officials have indicated that these solar activities could start affecting Earth by noon ET on Friday.
