Individuals from the northern areas of the upper Midwest may get to witness the ethereal red, purple, and green colors of the aurora borealis tonight.
This is thanks to the slamming of a coronal mass ejection onto Earth.
Aurora Borealis Could Be Visible
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SPWC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a G1 geomagnetic storm watch has been put out for June 4. This comes in anticipation of a CME (coronal mass ejection) flinging from the Sun to hit the magnetic field of the planet.
G1 storms can result in northern lights that can be seen as far south as Maine and Michigan's north. The SPWC revealed revealed in a release that a coronal mass ejection is a solar material eruption. When they reach the Earth, it could lead to a geomagnetic storm.
The center noted that it is possible for a CME that came from the Sun on June 1 could impact the atmosphere of the Earth by June 4.
With this, aurora could become visible along the northern tier's horizon and in the upper Midwest states in the far north.
Coronal Mass Ejections and Geomagnetic Storms
CMEs are massive clouds of magnetic field and solar plasma that erupt from the Sun. They typically blast out from magnetically active solar regions, such as sunspots. Solar flares also typically accompany sunspots.
If the Earth is within a CME's path, the CME could end up reaching the planet in a span of one to three days, depending on ejection speed. When this CME affects the magnetosphere of the Earth, it could lead to geomagnetic storms because of its interaction with the magnetic field of the planet.
Geomagnetic storms are typically classified on a scale that starts with G1 (minor) and ranges to G5 (extreme). This means that the currently impending storm would be of the weakest classification.
Roughly 1,700 G1 storms happen in the 11-year cycle of the Sun. Moreover, stronger G4 storms only happen roughly 100 times in each cycle. G5 storms can only be seen roughly four times in a cycle.
Last May 10, a G5 geomagnetic storm hit the planet and led to northern lights that were visible across all of the 50 U.S. states. The aurora could even be seen in Mexico. This was the first that was recorded since 2003.
Roger Dube, a physics professor from the Rochester Institute of Technology, explained that a solar storm's strength is rated on a scale that is also analogous with that of a hurricane scale.
The magnetic field of the Earth makes charged particles spiral through the polar areas as they move. This increases the chances of collision with atmospheric molecules.
Such collisions cover light emission in various colors, leading to vibrant and colorful northern lights.
The SWPC says that G1 storms could result in weak power grid fluctuations and minor satellite impacts.
As for more powerful storms, they have a greater effect on Earth and its infrastructure. G5 storms could lead to widespread problems with voltage control and transformer damage. Moreover, satellites could also require orbital adjustments that are more frequent because of heightened atmospheric drag.
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