It’s an understatement to say we didn’t see this coming. Since Monday, January 19, a powerful solar storm has been affecting Earth. According to the American Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), part of the NOAA, this event reached a level 4 out of 5 on the scale, which is particularly high. Such intensity hasn’t been recorded since 2003.
The cause of this phenomenon is a violent solar eruption that sent significant amounts of charged particles towards our planet. When these particles collide with the Earth’s magnetic field, they create what we call a geomagnetic storm.
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Alright, the term is quite technical, but in simple words: the Sun is getting a bit too energetic and is shaking up the invisible shield that protects Earth, creating spectacular effects… and sometimes a few more pesky ones. Anyway, even though the storm seems to be dying down since Tuesday, its effects are still being closely monitored by scientists.
Auroras visible at unusual latitudes
On the spectacle side, the storm was indeed memorable. The interactions between solar particles and the Earth's atmosphere have produced stunning auroras, visible far beyond the usual areas.
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Last November, similar phenomena lit up the skies of European countries like Hungary and the United Kingdom, as well as some southeastern regions of the United States, from Kansas to Texas. Once again, American authorities claim that auroras have been observed all the way to Alabama, a particularly low latitude for this type of phenomenon. It's a rare celestial ballet that reminds us how solar activity can transform our night sky into a true work of art.
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Real risks for our infrastructures
But behind the beauty of this phenomenon lies a more concerning downside. Solar storms can disrupt high-frequency radio communications, affect satellite operations, and cause surges in electricity networks.
History keeps the record: in October 2003, during the famous solar storm known as "Halloween", a part of Sweden was plunged into darkness, while energy infrastructures were damaged in South Africa.
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Even earlier, in 1859, a storm of extreme violence triggered fires on telegraph lines and made the auroras visible as far as Hawaii. While modern networks are better protected today, this episode serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of our technologies to the whims of the Sun.