A G1-class or even stronger geomagnetic storm is expected to hit our home planet on July 3rd, NOAA forecasters alerted. Know more details.
Earth Braces for Minor Geomagnetic Storms from Solar Eruptions
Are we moving towards Solar Maxima? The continuous heightened solar activity suggests likewise. This has been further echoed by the recent observations by space weather forecasters which suggest that two to three Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are expected to interact with Earth‘s magnetic field soon. These CMEs were ejected from the Sun over the past few days and are expected to reach Earth on July 3rd, spaceweather.com reported. If the predicted solar weather forecast comes true, it may bring minor geomagnetic disturbances.
Know that a CME is a significant release of plasma and magnetic field from the solar corona, often following solar flares or filament eruptions. When CMEs travel towards Earth, they can impact our planet’s magnetosphere, leading to geomagnetic storms. These storms can disrupt communication systems, navigation networks, and even power grids, although minor ones typically have limited effects.
Impact on Earth
“G1 (Minor) or greater geomagnetic storms are likely on July 3rd due to potential CME influence,” NOAA mentioned in its 3-day forecast. This particular CME was launched into space by a magnetic filament eruption in the Sun’s southern hemisphere. Such eruptions occur when magnetic field lines become twisted and break, releasing a massive amount of energy and solar material into space. The expected geomagnetic activity from this CME is classified as a G1-class storm, which is considered minor.
G1-class geomagnetic storms, while considered relatively weak, but they can still have some effects on Earth. These storms can cause weak power grid fluctuations or can impact satellite operations and potential orientation adjustments. If it stays for a long time, there is a possibility that auroras will be visible at higher latitudes, extending to regions like Canada and northern parts of the United States.
The Abundance Of Sunspots
We have already passed the first six months of 2024. As per a Spaceweather.com report, an amateur astronomer Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau has stacked daily images of the Sun for all 182 days, revealing signs of Solar Max. The report suggests that the abundance of sunspots indicates we are nearing the peak of Solar Cycle 25.
Based on the image, sunspots are concentrated in two bands, one north and one south of the sun’s equator and the southern hemisphere has more sunspots than the north. Not just that, it has been revealed that the sunspot count was heavily influenced by a single massive southern sunspot (AR3664), which circled the sun three times, tripling its contribution to the southern total.
However, Solar Max is far from over. Forecasters expect it to persist for 2 to 3 more years, and it is just a start!
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
