Massive geomagnetic storm reveals Earth's technological vulnerabilities

Space weather rarely makes headlines, but on May 10, 2024, it became impossible to ignore. That day, a powerful geomagnetic storm battered Earth, disrupting satellites, power grids, and navigation systems.

Named for space weather physicist Jennifer Gannon, the storm revealed hidden vulnerabilities and exposed Earth to phenomena previously considered rare.

Scientists now pore over data that was collected during the storm, as they uncover insights that could reshape our understanding of space weather.

Drill turns into disaster

A year ago, NASA and over 30 U.S. government agencies gathered for a training exercise. Their mission was to simulate the effects of a geomagnetic storm and assess weaknesses in existing systems.

“The plan was to run through a hypothetical scenario, finding where our existing processes worked and where they needed improvement,” said Jamie Favors, NASA’s Space Weather program director.

As the exercise unfolded, a real geomagnetic storm struck Earth, transforming the drill into a full-scale response effort. The Gannon storm, a G5-class geomagnetic event, became the strongest of its kind in over two decades. Suddenly, the simulation became real – and the consequences were severe.

Geomagnetic storm disrupted power grids

The Gannon storm unleashed chaos on Earth’s surface. Electrical grids faced sudden surges as high-voltage lines tripped and transformers overheated.

In the U.S. Midwest, GPS-guided tractors veered off course, compounding problems for farmers who were already battling heavy rains.

“Not all farms were affected but those that were lost on average about $17,000 per farm,” noted Terry Griffin, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University.

Airlines scrambled to reroute transatlantic flights, prioritizing safety as radiation levels spiked. Meanwhile, in the thermosphere, temperatures rocketed to over 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds howled as nitrogen particles surged higher, driven by intense solar energy.

Storm drags satellites down

In orbit, satellites battled rising atmospheric drag. NASA’s ICESat-2 plummeted in altitude, while CIRBE – a CubeSat tasked with radiation monitoring – prematurely deorbited. The European Space Agency’s Sentinel mission faced power shortages and had to burn fuel to stay in orbit.

The ionosphere, Earth’s charged upper atmosphere, shifted dramatically during the geomagnetic storm. A dense band of particles, typically found over the equator, drifted toward the South Pole, creating a vast gap over the equator.

Communication systems stuttered, as signals struggled to traverse the altered ionospheric landscape.

Energy from geomagnetic storms

In the magnetosphere, chaos reigned. NASA’s MMS and THEMIS-ARTEMIS missions recorded massive particle waves crashing against the magnetosphere’s edge. These waves dumped unprecedented magnetic energy, generating the strongest electrical currents in two decades.

Solar particles punched through, creating two new belts of high-energy particles. CIRBE’s REPTile-2 instrument identified the new radiation belts, sandwiched between the Van Allen Belts.

The belts teemed with high-energy electrons and protons, endangering satellites and space missions.

Storm creates radiation zones

Before the storm, CIRBE’s REPTile-2 recorded minimal particle activity in the region around L = 2.5–3.5. Afterward, the space became a dense belt of electrons with energies ranging from 1.3 to 5 MeV.

This new belt lingered for weeks, challenging assumptions about particle behavior during geomagnetic storms on Earth.

CIRBE also detected a proton belt at L = 2, where protons ranging from 6.8 to 20 MeV congregated.

The proton belt remained undisturbed by subsequent storms, suggesting a unique stability. While the electron belt dissipated during a magnetic storm on June 28, the proton belt endured.

Data from geomagnetic storms

REPTile-2’s high-resolution data provided an unprecedented view of the radiation belts. Before the storm, the region around L = 2.5–3.5 remained relatively quiet. Afterward, it morphed into a bustling zone of 1.3 to 5 MeV electrons, forming a distinct belt.

The electrons persisted, resisting scattering mechanisms that typically deplete such high-energy particles. Unlike lower-energy electrons, these particles seemed impervious to the usual wave-particle interactions – potentially indicating new dimensions in space weather physics.

Rare auroras light the sky

On Earth, auroras appeared in unexpected locations. The Aurorasaurus project received thousands of reports from 55 countries, including sightings in Japan. There, auroras glowed magenta instead of the usual red.

Josh Pettit of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center commented on the event. “It typically needs some special circumstances, like we saw last May. A very unique event indeed.”

Researchers traced the magenta hue to a blend of red and blue auroras. Oxygen and nitrogen molecules, lofted higher than usual, produced the striking colors as they collided with solar particles.

Radiation hits the Red Planet

Mars bore the brunt of the Gannon storm. NASA’s MAVEN orbiter watched auroras rippling across the Martian surface between May 14 and 20, 2024. These auroras, unlike those on Earth, engulfed the entire planet.

NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter lost its star camera for nearly an hour, as it became overwhelmed by solar particles.

On the surface, the Curiosity rover recorded the highest radiation surge since its 2012 landing. Solar particles peppered the rover’s cameras, producing streaks and specks reminiscent of cosmic snow.

The unyielding proton belt

While the electron belt decayed after June 28, the proton belt persisted. REPTile-2 data showed proton levels exceeding 6.8 MeV, a rare and dangerous concentration. Protons in this belt remained stable, suggesting minimal loss to collisional processes.

For spacecraft in geostationary transfer orbits, this proton belt poses significant risks. Spacecraft must pass through the Van Allen Belts multiple times, potentially encountering lethal radiation levels.

Further analysis is needed to assess the long-term impact on satellite systems and electronic components.

Space weather risks rise

A year after the Gannon storm, researchers still analyze the data. CIRBE’s REPTile-2 instrument continues to provide critical insights, and shed light on space weather dynamics and radiation belt formation.

The electron and proton belts identified after the storm present a rare opportunity to study long-term space weather effects. As the Sun approaches a period of heightened activity, the need for effective space weather monitoring grows more urgent.

Future missions must prioritize high-resolution data collection and real-time monitoring to detect and mitigate such events. The Gannon storm served as a wake-up call, highlighting the need for preparedness as solar activity intensifies.

Preparing for geomagnetic storms

Earth’s magnetic defenses faced a formidable test during the Gannon storm. Satellites lost altitude, communication systems faltered, and auroras danced in unexpected skies.

Meanwhile, newly formed radiation belts lingered in space, posing ongoing threats to spacecraft.

The lessons from the Gannon storm are clear: space weather monitoring systems must evolve to detect and respond to emerging threats. As solar activity increases, future storms may prove even more intense.

For now, the new radiation belts remain a stark reminder of the Sun’s unpredictable power.

The study is published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics.

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