Geomagnetic Storms Expected To Hit Earth This Week, Power Grids At Risk

A series of potent solar events is expected to hit Earth, potentially causing significant geomagnetic storms over the next few days, NASA has said. The third storm, potentially the worst one, is expected to hit the planet this week on August 11.

The Sun is currently unleashing a trio of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), with the first two originating from M-class solar flares on August 7.

While these initial CMEs are relatively minor, the third CME, propelled by an X1.3-class solar flare on August 8, is the most powerful. The third CME, from the highly active sunspot AR3777, produced an extreme ultraviolet flash captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. It caused a shortwave radio blackout affecting regions from North America to the Hawaiian Islands, disrupting signals below 30 MHz for up to an hour.

Coronal mass ejections are massive bursts of solar wind and magnetic fields ejected from the Sun's corona. These eruptions release billions of tons of plasma into space, potentially disrupting Earth's magnetosphere and impacting satellites, communications and power grids.

Following the flare, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) detected a halo CME travelling directly toward Earth at speeds exceeding 1,000 km per second. This CME is expected to arrive by August 11, potentially intensifying the effects of the earlier CMEs.

The combined impact of these solar events could elevate geomagnetic storm levels to category G3 (strong), potentially sparking mid-latitude auroras visible in the USA and Europe.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a geomagnetic storm watch, urging us to prepare for potential impacts on technological infrastructure.

Geomagnetic storms occur when a CME or solar wind disturbs Earth's magnetic field. These storms can lead to beautiful auroras but may also disrupt GPS, radio communications, and power systems. The severity of these storms depends on the strength and direction of the solar wind's magnetic field. The upcoming storms are likely to create prime conditions for auroras, possibly visible much farther from the poles than usual.

Mariners, ham radio operators, and those reliant on satellite-based systems are advised to stay informed and take necessary precautions.

The sunspot AR3777 is currently one of the most active regions on the Sun, showing the increasing solar activity as we approach the solar maximum, the peak of the Sun's 11-year cycle. Space weather experts are closely monitoring the situation as Earth faces potential impacts from these solar particles.

This series of solar storms follows a barrage of similar events in May, which had triggered auroras as far as India and put considerable pressure on satellites.