A recent powerful cloud of charged particles ejected from the Sun reached Earth in just 25 hours, setting a record. This led to a strong G4 level geomagnetic storm, causing residents of many countries to witness the northern lights in regions where they are usually not observed.
According to the Spaceweather platform, the coronal mass ejection covered the distance from the Sun to Earth in a record short time, significantly faster than usual, which typically takes three to four days.
Experts from the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Institute of Space Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences noted that the induction of the solar wind's magnetic field reached historical highs.
Experts predict that the magnetic storm will last for at least another day, and full stabilization of the geomagnetic situation is not expected for another two to three days.
The northern lights were recorded in several countries in Europe and North America, including places where such phenomena occur very rarely.
Theoretically, in some areas of Central Asia, especially in the north, it is also possible to observe rare light effects in clear weather and at night.
Experts warn of potential consequences, such as temporary disruptions in radio communication, deterioration of GPS performance, and increased load on satellite systems.
Reasons for the Rarity of This Phenomenon
Geomagnetic storms occur as a result of powerful solar flares accompanied by coronal mass ejections. The cloud of particles, reaching Earth at high speed, "strikes" the magnetosphere almost head-on.
Level G4.7 on the international scale of geomagnetic storms by NOAA (USA) is used to assess the impact of solar activity on the Earth's magnetosphere.
The scale includes five levels:
- G1 — weak;
- G2 — moderate;
- G3 — strong;
- G4 — severe;
- G5 — extreme.
The reading of 4.7 indicates that the current storm is nearly reaching the extreme level G5, making it one of the most powerful magnetic storms in recent years with global geophysical consequences.
