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Increased solar activity prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center to issue a geomagnetic storm warning for July 24.
The culprit? A plume of plasma and magnetic field known as a coronal mass ejection (CME) which was released from the sun on July 21st and is now heading towards Earth It is scheduled to arrive on July 24th.
CMEs carry with them electrically charged atoms known as ions. When CMEs collide with Earth’s magnetosphere, they can trigger geomagnetic storms. During geomagnetic storms, ions collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere and release energy in the form of light, we recognize this as the Northern Lights or aurora borealis in the Northern Hemisphere or aurora borealis, or aurora australis in the Southern Hemisphere.
Geomagnetic storms are classified by NOAA using a G scale to measure the intensity of geomagnetic storms. They range from class G5 storms, the most extreme class, to smaller class G1 storms. The recent geomagnetic storm warning issued by NOAA is currently classified as class G2.
Just like the weather on Earth, space weather is a fickle creature and difficult to predict. Geomagnetic storm warnings like this one are not uncommon, and in some cases they disappear. As we approach July 24th space weather forecasters will have a better idea of when (if ever) to expect the CME to arrive.
Although aurora hunters are ready for the arrival of the CME and have everything ready for a direct attack, this is not a feeling shared by everyone.
CMEs can wreak havoc on our technological world and pose a threat to satellites and astronauts alike. low Earth orbit. On Earth, CMEs can cause surges of electrical currents that can overload electrical grids, causing blackouts. They can also push the Earth magnetic field and disrupt radio transmissions and increase radio static in Earth’s ionosphere.
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In space, high-energy particles from the CME can damage satellites in low Earth orbit. CMEs can also cause the Earth’s atmosphere to heat and expand, as they create a thicker medium through which a satellite must travel. The additional drag can decrease a satellite’s thrust and lead to a reduction in its orbit.
Astronauts also receive a greater dose of radiation during a CME event compared to if they were on Earth, although they are still primarily shielded by the magnetosphere and shielded by the spacecraft structure.
For the latest space weather alerts and forecasts, check out NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
