Geomagnetic storm: According to NASA a dangerous geomagnetic storm is headed toward the Earth and will hit it today. Check details and find out how it can affect you.
A geomagnetic storm is going to hit Earth today, April 7, 2022. The reports first came from NASA and were later confirmed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) at NOAA noticed the geomagnetic storm brewing and it has stated that it stemmed from a coronal mass ejection (CME) spotted on April 3rd. Both the organizations have issued a notification alerting people to the possibility of the geomagnetic strike happening sometime in the later half of the day. SWPC also stated that the solar storm hitting the Earth will be of G1 class and severe impact on communication systems will not be a concern. However, nothing can be confirmed till it actually hits the Earth.
While a G1 class geomagnetic storm is usually not that dangerous, and it is limited to aurora display in the northern skies, recent incidents tell us that it is foolish to underestimate these solar storms. Recently, radiation hit Earth after a solar flare eruption and it caused a brief shortwave radio blackout on Earth. Earlier than that, Elon Musk led SpaceX lost 40 Starlink satellites to a similar storm. So, what can a strong geomagnetic storm actually do?
NASA: G1-class geomagnetic storm to hit the Earth today
The NASA advisory comes after the last two weeks have seen excessive solar storm activity. As the notoriously active sunspot called AR2975 came into the Earth’s view, it constantly bombarded the Earth with CME and solar flare eruptions. These solar combustions and resultant solar matter ejection in space were hurled towards our planet. When it hits the Earth, the electromagnetic forces and the strong radiation interact with our atmosphere and that is when the CME turns into a geomagnetic storm. It is particularly devastating for satellites in the upper atmosphere and do not have the protection of the atmosphere. The temperature increases drastically while the electromagnetic waves disrupt and destroy the sensitive instruments on the satellites. It is assumed that a geomagnetic storm as strong as the Carrington Event of 1859 can destroy a majority of satellites and completely disrupt mobile connectivity, internet services, GPS and other navigation systems and even cause power grid failures.
Luckily, this geomagnetic storm, as confirmed by both NOAA and NASA, is only G1 class, which is the lowest classification of such storms. As things stand, there is no need to worry and some of us may get to enjoy the fantastic auroras. However, the true intensity of the storm can only be assessed once it does hit the planet and we should remain vigilant.
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