Massive solar storm hits Earth, causing disruptions to communications, satellites: Is a complete blackout expected?

(Representative Image: Canva)

Earth was struck by a massive solar storm on Monday. While this storm brings a spectacular display of colourful auroras or Northern Lights, it’s also causing disruptions in communications, satellite operations, and putting stress on power grids. This solar storm has brought the aurora borealis, or northern lights, to areas further south than usual.

According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the solar storm reached a level-four intensity on a five-point scale starting from 1500 GMT. This means we might see the auroras, or northern lights, shimmering as far south as Alabama and northern California. While the storm won’t intensify further, it could last for several hours, offering a rare celestial display for many.

Impact and Duration of the Solar Storm
This intense solar storm is causing disruptions, including potential interference with high-frequency communications, satellite operations, and stress on power grids. NOAA has advised operators of sensitive infrastructure to take necessary precautions to mitigate these impacts. The storm is driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), bursts of solar particles that disturb Earth's magnetic field. Despite the disturbances, the auroras offer a stunning visual display

Understanding Solar Storms
A solar storm occurs when charged particles from the Sun, known as CMEs, collide with Earth’s magnetic field. These interactions can lead to geomagnetic storms, which are measured on a scale from one to five, with higher levels indicating more severe disturbances. The current storm's level-four intensity signifies a significant but it’s not severe enough to cause a blackout at this time.

Scientific Insights and Observations
Eric Lagadec, an astrophysicist at the Cote d'Azur Observatory in France, mentioned on X, "I feel like I'm living a historic night in France, hundreds of people are sending me photos of the northern lights visible all over the country."

J'ai la sensation de vivre une nuit historique en France, des centaines de personnes m'envoient des photos d'aurores boréales visibles partout dans le pays. Il se passe quoi?
Thread pic.twitter.com/TKjWbqqW0U

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— Eric Lagadec (@EricLagadec) May 10, 2024

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick also shared a stunning photograph of the aurora borealis captured from the International Space Station.

The moon makes it way towards the horizon to set amongst red and green aurora . . . I was setup in a different window and saw this through another window. I made a quick camera, camera mount, and shroud teardown and setup. Felt so lucky to grab this shot.

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15mm, T1.8, 1s, ISO… pic.twitter.com/Z3TYlFhgNo

— Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) August 11, 2024

In May, Earth experienced some of the strongest geomagnetic storms in two decades, causing auroras to appear in unusual locations such as the United States, Europe, and Australia. As the Sun approaches the peak of its 11-year activity cycle, such solar events are becoming more frequent.