Solar Upheaval Forecast: Potential Power Outages and Enchanting Auroras Expected Tonight
Rewritten Article:
Hey there, Earth dwellers! Brace yourself for some electrifying news: A G4 geomagnetic storm is hurtling towards our planet, expected to hit between now and midday ET. This cosmic spectacle could bring light shows in the sky and mess with your electronics.
Geomagnetic storms originate from charged particles from the Sun interfering with Earth's magnetic fields. When they're severe, these events can disrupt electronics, but for most folks, they're best known for the stunning auroras they produce.
What are Geomagnetic Storms, Again?
Allow me to refresh your memory – it wasn't long ago when we talked about geomagnetic storms due to the planet being under a watch. So here's a quick rundown:
A geomagnetic storm is an atmospheric dance caused by solar explosions. There are two main solar events involved—solar flares and coronal mass ejections. As explained by EarthSky, solar flares are sudden eruptions of light on the Sun's surface, while coronal mass ejections are explosions of solar material that can disturb Earth's magnetic field. The disturbances stemming from these events range from enchanting auroras in our skies to disruptions in power grids.
The ranking of solar flares goes from B-class to X-class, where each letter class denotes a tenfold increase in intensity. The incoming geomagnetic event results from a coronal mass ejection that follows an X-class solar flare on the Sun.
Take a peek at the picture above. The bright streak on the right is a comet whizzing past the sun. Ignore that—we're here to chat about the geomagnetic storm!
What's the Lowdown on this Storm?
This geomagnetic storm originated from an X-class solar flare that took off from the Sun around 10 p.m. ET on October 8th, and it's en route to our planet as we speak.
The solar flare initiated a coronal mass ejection (CME) that's streaking towards Earth at about 2.5 million miles per hour (4 million kilometers per hour). Unfortunately, scientists won't fully comprehend the CME's structure until it's only about a million miles (1.61 million kilometers) from Earth. Once it gets to that point, known as L1, the CME will reach Earth in just 15 to 30 minutes.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G4 geomagnetic storm watch, making it the second G4 event of the year following May's storm. The May G4 event was the first since January 2005 and caused auroras to light up the skies worldwide, even reaching as far south as Florida in the northern hemisphere and certain parts of Australia and Africa in the southern hemisphere.
According to the storm watch, "服务质量可能受到一些影响，但可以采取措施减轻影响" (Some of our critical infrastructure technology may be affected, but mitigation is possible). The watch added that "the aurora may become visible over much of the northern half of the country, and maybe as far south as Alabama to northern California" (You can track the aurora forecast on this Space Weather Prediction Center site.
Just before noon ET, the Space Weather Prediction Center announced that the CME already arrived on Earth, while solar storm levels of G3 or greater are expected. Even higher storm levels could extend the visible auroras further south.
Why is the Sun So Active?
We've experienced a flurry of geomagnetic activity due to the Sun reaching the zenith of its 11-year cycle, during which its magnetic field switches directions. This flip-flopping triggers sunspots, which kick off solar flares and CMEs.
The current solar cycle – dubbed Solar Cycle 25 – started in 2020. There's been an increase in solar flares, CMEs, and geomagnetic storms as the Sun approaches its peak.
It's a bit tricky to keep the number of geomagnetic events straight. For instance, there was an X-class solar flare last Tuesday (a week prior to the upcoming geomagnetic storm), which triggered a series of auroras across the Northern United States and other northerly reaches. But there were also severe geomagnetic storms in August and May.
What Did Experts Say?
"We are currently in the midst of solar maximum," said Shawn Dahl, a service coordinator for the Space Weather Prediction Center, in a press conference on Wednesday. "However, we don't know if we've reached the peak yet." Dahl added that if not now, the peak could arrive later this year or sometime through 2026.
The solar cycle turned out to be more active than experts expected, prompting researchers to readjust their predictions. Though we don't know precisely where in the solar cycle we are, the activity will definitely start to decline by 2026. Until then, don't forget to put your electrical gadgets on lockdown and keep an eye on the night sky!
- The geomagnetic storm approaching Earth is a result of X-class solar flares and coronal mass ejections from the Sun, which can disrupt technology and create captivating auroras in the sky.
- The upcoming geomagnetic storm is expected to cause disruptions in critical infrastructure technology, but mitigation practices can lessen the impact.
- The impressive auroras may be visible over a significant portion of the northern hemisphere and potentially as far south as Alabama to northern California, depending on the storm's severity.
- The Sun's higher-than-expected activity during Solar Cycle 25 has resulted in an increase in solar flares, CMEs, and geomagnetic storms, with scientists unsure if the peak of the cycle has been reached yet.