Geomagnetic Storm to Hit Earth After a Massive Coronal Mass Ejection From the Sun; Solar Flare Could Result in Aurora Borealis in the Caribbean

Experts warn about a geomagnetic storm that will hit the Earth on Thursday. A plume of dark plasma hurled from the Sun will be engulfed, forming a cannibal coronal mass ejection that will sideswipe the Earth, causing a strong G3 geomagnetic storm, according to Live Science.

Dark Plasma Plume to Form Coronal Mass Ejection

The dark plasma explosion was first noticed by solar observers on Aug. 14, according to spaceweather.com. It burst forth from a sunspot on the surface of the Sun at a speed of about 1.3 million miles per hour (2.1 million kilometers per hour), ripping through the atmosphere. A coronal mass ejection (CME), or explosive solar material jets, is produced by the explosion. On Aug. 15, a massive magnetic filament collapsed, which led to the release of another CME from the Sun.

According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts, the two eruptions will merge to form a cannibal coronal mass ejection. Cannibal CMEs occur when a fast-moving solar explosion overtakes a previous blast in the same region of space. It gobbles up the charged particles to form a massive combined wavefront, causing a powerful geomagnetic storm.

The said CME's cannibal nature is typical. When the dark plasma plume arrives on Earth, it will cause a G3 geomagnetic storm due to its cooler, darker appearance.

What Is a Geomagnetic Storm?

Geomagnetic storms happen when planets with strong magnetic fields, like Earth, absorb fast-moving solar debris from CMEs. Waves of highly energetic particles compress the Earth's magnetic field slightly during these storms.

The particles trickle down magnetic-field lines near the poles, agitating molecules and releasing energy in the form of light, resulting in colorful auroras similar to the Northern Lights.

The severity of geomagnetic storms is classified as G1 through G5. G3 category pertains to strong geomagnetic storms that could bring the dazzling aurora as far south as Illinois and Oregon. It can cause intermittent problems with low-frequency and satellite navigation, increased drag on low-Earth orbit satellites, and may necessitate voltage corrections in some power systems.

Extreme geomagnetic storms can disrupt our planet's magnetic field powerfully enough to send satellites crashing to Earth. Scientists have warned that extreme geomagnetic storms could even bring the internet down.

(Photo : NASA/Unsplash)
Corona Mass Ejection

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Solar Flare Could Bring Aurora Borealis

Since 1775, astronomers have known that solar activity rises and falls in cycles. The Sun has recently been more active than expected and nearly double the sunspot appearances predicted by NOAA.

Scientists predict that the Sun's activity will gradually increase over the next few years, peaking in 2025 before declining again.

They believe that the 1859 Carrington Event, which emitted roughly the same amount of energy as ten billion one-megaton atomic bombs, was the largest solar storm ever seen in modern history.

The powerful stream of solar particles slamming into Earth fried telegraph systems worldwide and caused auroras to appear as far south as the Caribbean, with auroras brighter than the full moon.

Scientists warn that a similar event today would cause trillions of dollars in damage and widespread blackouts, similar to the 1989 solar storm, which released a billion-ton plume of gas. The entire Canadian province of Quebec experienced a blackout during the solar storm.