On Oct. 28, the sun produced a huge flare of charged particles, and now the electric wind is heading toward Earth in a strong geomagnetic storm.
According to a SWPC statement, the storm is rated as a category of G3 on the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC's) 5-tier scale. It is expected to reach Earth late Saturday (Oct.30), with effects continuing into Halloween on October 31.
"The G3 storm has minimal impact on our technology," the SWPC wrote. The SWPC stated that a G3 storm could drive the aurora farther away from its usual polar residence. "The aurora could be seen in the far Northeast, the upper Midwest, and Washington.
Large solar flares or coronal mass eruptions (CMEs) are a common type of space weather. These occur when huge blobs made of plasma (electrically-charged gases that make up all of the stars in our universe) escape the sun's atmospheric and ooze through space at speeds of hundreds to thousands of miles per second. According to SWPC, the current G3 storm travels at approximately 600 miles per second (970 kilometers)
A CME typically takes 15 to 18 hours for it to reach Earth. The blob then slams into the magnetic shield, compressing the shield slightly. The magnetic field lines are then eroded by charged solar particles, which travel toward the North and South Poles. They also bump into atmospheric molecules. The auroras are created by the energy released as colorful light from the agitated molecules.
CMEs can also cause disruptions to power systems and communications technology depending on the storm's strength. According to SWPC, G3 storms can cause "intermittent satellite navigation" and "low-frequency radio navigation problems".
Larger storms can be more destructive than smaller ones, as was the Carrington Event (1859), which caused the Earth's magnetosphere to become so unstable that the wires of the telegraph were combustible. Live Science reported that future storms of this magnitude could cause internet disruptions around the world.
The solar maximum is the most active period in the sun's 11-year cycle. This period is when the sun's magnetic fields, which control CMEs and other weather phenomena, are at their strongest. It results in stronger solar storms. Another recent solar eruption was a G2 storm, which hit Earth Oct. 11, and another series G2 storms, that reached Earth Sept. 27.
Original publication on Live Science
