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‘Severe’ geomagnetic storm arriving: Could Massachusetts see the aurora again?
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‘Severe’ geomagnetic storm arriving: Could Massachusetts see the aurora again?
Updated: 1:08 PM EDT Jun 28, 2024
A “severe” geomagnetic storm was detected late Friday morning by the Space Weather Prediction Center. A coronal mass ejection, or CME, was hurled from the Sun on Tuesday, according to the SWPC. The CME was just arriving to Earth on Friday.According to SWPC, the storm was rated “G4,” which is considered severe. By comparison, the storm that caused the Aurora to be visible all over the Northeast was rated G5, the highest on the scale, which spans G1-G5.However, the arrival of the CME alone does not guarantee that an aurora will occur. The CME has a magnetic field, like a magnet. And just as opposite sides of magnets attract and like sides repel, the CME must be oriented the correct way, relative to Earth’s magnetic field. Data from SWPC suggests that may not be the case, which could mean that despite a severe geomagnetic storm, an aurora would not be visible.The fields can fluctuate, as can the strength of the storm. As the CME continues affecting Earth, more information will become available.Among the impacts this CME could have on Earth are “increased possibility of anomalies or effect to satellite operations” and “more frequent and longer periods of GPS degradation,” according to the SWPC.
NEEDHAM, Mass. —
A “severe” geomagnetic storm was detected late Friday morning by the Space Weather Prediction Center.
A coronal mass ejection, or CME, was hurled from the Sun on Tuesday, according to the SWPC. The CME was just arriving to Earth on Friday.
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According to SWPC, the storm was rated “G4,” which is considered severe. By comparison, the storm that caused the Aurora to be visible all over the Northeast was rated G5, the highest on the scale, which spans G1-G5.
However, the arrival of the CME alone does not guarantee that an aurora will occur. The CME has a magnetic field, like a magnet. And just as opposite sides of magnets attract and like sides repel, the CME must be oriented the correct way, relative to Earth’s magnetic field. Data from SWPC suggests that may not be the case, which could mean that despite a severe geomagnetic storm, an aurora would not be visible.
The fields can fluctuate, as can the strength of the storm. As the CME continues affecting Earth, more information will become available.
Among the impacts this CME could have on Earth are “increased possibility of anomalies or effect to satellite operations” and “more frequent and longer periods of GPS degradation,” according to the SWPC.
Boston Live News