Solar tornadoes are brewing - and we might not see them coming

We’ve known for a time that massive solar eruptions can cause real problems on Earth. They mess with satellites, shut down power grids, and even knock farm equipment offline.

But now, researchers have found something new. There are also swirling solar tornadoes that are smaller than the big eruptions we already monitor, but are still dangerous enough to spark geomagnetic storms. The trouble is, we’re missing them.

Right now, our entire space weather warning system relies on just a few spacecraft parked between Earth and the Sun. These spacecraft check the solar wind’s speed and direction and give us some lead time to prepare for a solar tornado.

However, the current system doesn’t catch everything – especially not these twisting spirals of plasma called flux ropes.

Why solar flux ropes matter

When the sun erupts, it sends out huge clouds of plasma known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These formations barrel through space at millions of miles per hour and are already of big concern.

But within these CMEs, there are smaller vortices of spinning magnetic energy that behave like tornadoes. These flux ropes form when the ejection plows through slower solar wind – throwing off smaller, spinning pieces as it goes.

Some of these spirals just fizzle out. But others can survive and become solar tornadoes. They keep spinning through space until they hit Earth.

Disruptions caused by solar tornadoes

A new simulation from researchers at the University of Michigan changes how we see these structures. It models features from thousands of miles wide all the way up to structures three times the size of Earth.

This zoomed-in view helped scientists spot how these flux ropes form, move, and interact with the solar wind.

“Our simulation shows that the magnetic field in these vortices can be strong enough to trigger a geomagnetic storm and cause some real trouble,” said Chip Manchester, research professor of climate and space sciences and engineering.

In May 2024, we saw just how bad it can get. A strong geomagnetic storm messed with high-voltage power lines, changed satellite paths, and even forced aircraft to reroute.

Farmers in the Midwest saw GPS-guided tractors go haywire, costing each affected farm around $17,000 in damages, according to NASA.

The size problem in space

Solar tornadoes range in size from about 3,000 miles to 6 million miles wide. That puts them in an awkward spot.

The events are too small to show up in the large-scale models used to track big CMEs. But they’re too large for the detailed models usually reserved for studying magnetic fields on a smaller scale. Until now, they’ve basically been hiding in plain sight.

The new simulation makes it possible to see both the large CMEs and these mid-sized flux ropes together – something that earlier models couldn’t do.

Researchers also found that these flux ropes can form during collisions between streams of fast and slow solar wind. Some spiral off and fade, but others become persistent, tornado-like hazards that can head straight for Earth.

The flaw in our warning system

Solar wind only causes trouble when its magnetic field points strongly southward. Our current monitoring spacecraft can measure that, but they only catch what comes directly their way.

If a solar eruption aims slightly off-course – or sends a flux rope around the edges – our spacecraft might miss it entirely. We wouldn’t know a storm was coming until it arrived.

Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, associate research scientist of climate and space sciences and engineering, noted that if these hazards are forming out in space between the Sun and Earth, we can’t just look at the Sun.

“This is a matter of national security. We need to proactively find structures like these Earth-bound flux ropes and predict what they will look like at Earth to make reliable space weather warnings for electric grid planners, airline dispatchers and farmers,” said Akhavan-Tafti.

“Imagine if you could only monitor a hurricane remotely with the measurements from one wind gauge,” said Manchester.

“You’d see a change in the measurements, but you wouldn’t see the storm’s entire structure. That’s the current situation with single-spacecraft systems. We need viewpoints from multiple space weather stations.”

Positioning a spacecraft near the Sun

To patch the holes in our monitoring system, researchers are proposing a new approach. It’s called the Space Weather Investigation Frontier – or SWIFT – and it’s a multi-spacecraft setup designed to keep better watch on the solar wind.

The idea is to put four probes in space, spread out in a triangular pyramid shape. Three would form the base near the point between Earth and the Sun known as L1.

The fourth probe, the “hub,” would sit farther out, closer to the Sun. That position gives it a head start in spotting solar storms, potentially making warnings 40% faster.

There’s just one problem: putting a spacecraft that close to the Sun usually takes a lot of fuel. But thanks to the Solar Cruiser mission, NASA has a workaround.

The experts have developed a giant aluminum sail – about a third the size of a football field – that can catch photons (light particles) from the Sun. The pressure from sunlight alone can hold the spacecraft in place, no fuel needed.

Getting ahead of solar tornadoes

With a setup like SWIFT, we’d have a much better shot at detecting the dangerous spirals in the solar wind before they reach Earth.

This could mean earlier alerts for utilities, airlines, and anyone who relies on satellites or GPS. And with solar activity expected to stay high in the coming years, the timing couldn’t be better.

Solar tornadoes aren’t just fascinating – they’re a warning. We’re flying blind in some parts of space, and it’s time to fix that.

The full study was published in The Astrophysical Journal.

Image credit: Steve Alvey, University of Michigan

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