Severe Solar Storm Hits Earth Without Warning, Disrupts Power Grids and Spacecraft Operations

 

On March 24, a severe solar storm hit Earth, causing disruptions to the planet's magnetic field. The US National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) rated the storm as G4, the second-highest level of severity, which can cause voltage control problems and electric asset trips for power grids. The storm also created problems for spacecraft operations, forcing Rocket Lab to delay the launch of its Electron rocket. Geomagnetic storms occur when solar emissions, such as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) or high-speed solar streams, hit the magnetosphere, which is Earth's magnetic field that protects us from solar particles. When a CME or high-speed stream hits Earth, it peels open the magnetosphere, allowing solar wind particles to hit the atmosphere and potentially causing auroras. Tamitha Skov, a US space weather forecaster, explained that these types of storms are difficult to observe, making them hard to predict. While the NOAA had issued an alert for a geomagnetic storm watch on March 22, it was only predicted to have a G2 severity level, and the current storm was not seen coming.