A geomagnetic storm And possible today April 14th: 2 coronal mass ejections (CME) should hit the Earth’s magnetic field. Plasma clouds were hurled towards Earth by eruptions of filaments magnetic on April 11th and 12th. The 2 CMEs are not particularly powerful, but their combined effect could generate one G1 class geomagnetic storm with auroras at high latitude.
What are magnetic filaments
THE magnetic filaments on the Sun they are structures of ionized gas and plasma that follow the lines of the solar magnetic field. They form when the magnetic field emerges from the sun’s surface, creating magnetic arcs visible as dark lines on the photosphere. These filaments are composed mainly of ionized hydrogen and extend for thousands of km into interplanetary space. They can persist for days or weeks before dissolving or generating a rash. They are often found in regions around sunspots and are associated with phenomena such as solar flares and geomagnetic storms.
What is a coronal mass ejection (CME)
A’coronal mass ejection (CME) is a huge emission of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun into interplanetary space. It typically occurs in regions around sunspots, where the solar magnetic field is particularly strong. During a CME, the magnetic field suddenly rearranges itself, releasing large amounts of ionized solar matter into the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. These events can be caused by instabilities in the solar magnetic field, such as collisions of magnetic arcs or interactions between magnetic fields of opposite polarity. CMEs can have significant effects on Earth when their path intercepts our planet. The charged particles and magnetic field associated with a CME can interfere with power grids, satellite communications systems, GPS networks, and cause aurora.
What is a geomagnetic storm
A storm geomagnetic is a temporary alteration of the Earth’s magnetic field caused by intense solar activity, such as coronal mass ejections (CME) or high-speed solar wind flows. When charged particles from the solar wind interact with Earth’s magnetic field, they can produce significant changes in the space environment around our planet. These changes can affect power grids, satellite communications systems, GPS networks, and even increase the risk of damage to orbiting satellites.
The classification of geomagnetic storms from G1 to G5 is established by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). G1 indicates minimal intensity storms, while G5 represents extremely intense storms. This classification is mainly based on the intensity of geomagnetic activity measured by the Kp index, which takes into account variations in the Earth’s magnetic field. Higher-class storms can cause radio blackouts, satellite communications disruptions, more intense Northern and Southern Lights, as well as potential damage to power systems and satellites.
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