solar storm – Astronomy Now

Earth’s magnetic field ‘sings’ during energetic solar storms

26 November 2019 Astronomy Now

Data from the European Space Agency’s Cluster satellites allow scientists to listen in as solar storms interact with Earth’s magnetic field.

Surprisingly rapid magnetic field reversals pose risks to Earth

28 August 2018 Astronomy Now

About 100,000 years ago, Earth’s magnetic field reversed polarity in just two centuries or so, a surprisingly rapid reversal that, if it happened today, could cost trillions in damage to power and communications systems, researchers say.

Solar storm of 1967 nearly took US to brink of war

10 August 2016 Astronomy Now

The solar storm of 23 May 1967 that jammed radar and radio communications at the height of the Cold War could have led to a disastrous military conflict if not for the U.S. Air Force’s budding efforts to monitor the Sun’s activity, a new study finds. The ensuing geomagnetic storm was so strong that the northern lights were visible as far south as New Mexico.

Large solar storms ‘dodge’ detection systems on Earth

17 October 2015 Astronomy Now

According to observations from the Tihany Magnetic Observatory in Hungary, the indices used by scientists to assess the Sun’s geomagnetic perturbations to the Earth are unable to detect some of these events, which could put both power supply and communication networks at risk. The Tihany Magnetic Observatory registered a solar storm similar to the largest one ever recorded while other observatories were completely unaware of the event.