A mysterious shock wave in a gust of solar wind has despatched a barrage of high-speed materials smashing into Earth’s magnetic area, opening up a crack within the magnetosphere. The barrage of plasma may result in a geomagnetic storm at present (Dec. 19), according to SpaceWeather.com (opens in new tab).
The shockwave’s origins aren’t precisely identified, however scientists suppose it may have come from a coronal mass ejection launched by the sunspot AR3165, a fizzing area on the sun’s floor that launched a flurry of no less than eight solar flares on Dec. 14, inflicting a quick radio blackout over the Atlantic Ocean.
Sunspots are areas on the sun’s floor the place highly effective magnetic fields, created by the circulation {of electrical} prices, knot into kinks earlier than all of the sudden snapping. The ensuing launch of vitality launches bursts of radiation referred to as solar flares, or plumes of solar materials referred to as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). As soon as launched, CMEs journey at speeds within the thousands and thousands of miles per hour, sweeping up charged particles from the solar wind to type a large, mixed wavefront that (if pointed towards Earth) can set off geomagnetic storms.
Associated: Listen to the terrifying rumble of Earth’s magnetic field being assaulted by a solar storm
Geomagnetic storms happen when energetic solar particles (largely consisting of electrons, protons and alpha particles) will get absorbed by, and subsequently compresses, Earth’s magnetic field. The solar particles zip by means of the environment close to the poles the place Earth’s protecting magnetic area is weakest and agitate oxygen and nitrogen molecules — inflicting them to launch vitality within the type of mild to type colourful auroras such because the northern lights.
The storms may also create cracks within the magnetosphere which stay open for hours at a time, enabling some solar materials to stream by means of and disrupt satellites, radio communications, and energy methods.
Fortunately at present’s potential storm, predicted to be a G-1 class, shall be pretty weak. It could trigger minor fluctuations in energy grids and impair some satellite capabilities — together with these for cell units and GPS methods. It may additionally trigger an aurora to seem as far south as Michigan and Maine (opens in new tab).
Extra excessive geomagnetic storms, nonetheless, can have way more severe results. They cannot solely warp our planet’s magnetic area powerfully sufficient to ship satellites tumbling to Earth, however can disrupt electrical methods and even cripple the internet (opens in new tab).
The upcoming storm is simply the most recent in a string of solar assaults fired at Earth because the sun ramps up into probably the most lively phase of its roughly 11-year solar cycle.
Astronomers have identified since 1775 that solar exercise rises and falls in cycles, however not too long ago, the sun has been extra lively than anticipated, with almost double the sunspot appearances predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (opens in new tab).
Scientists anticipate that the sun’s exercise will steadily climb for the following few years, reaching an general most in 2025 earlier than lowering once more.
The most important solar storm in latest historical past was the 1859 Carrington Event, which launched roughly the identical vitality as 10 billion 1-megaton atomic bombs. After slamming into Earth, the highly effective stream of solar particles fried telegraph methods world wide and precipitated auroras brighter than the sunshine of the full moon to seem as far south because the Caribbean.
If an identical occasion have been to occur at present, scientists warn it might trigger trillions of {dollars}’ price of harm, set off widespread blackouts, and endanger hundreds of lives. A earlier solar storm in 1989 launched a billion-ton plume of fuel that precipitated a blackout throughout your complete Canadian province of Quebec, NASA reported (opens in new tab).
However this will likely not even scratch the floor of what our star is able to hurling at us. Scientists are additionally investigating the reason for a sequence of sudden and colossal spikes in radiation ranges recorded in ancient tree rings throughout Earth’s historical past. A number one idea is that the spikes may have come from solar storms 80 occasions extra highly effective than the Carrington Occasion, however scientists have but to rule out another probably unknown cosmic supply.
Initially printed on LiveScience.com.
