Unprecedented surge in geomagnetic storms hit Earth as Sun fury mounts
The Sun's 11-year cycle has taken an unexpected turn as teh volatility has increased by a huge margin, sparking worry among scientists. The expected rise and fall in solar activity within this cycle usually follow a predictable pattern. However, the current scenario is different—geomagnetic storms hitting Earth are more frequent and intense than anticipated. What makes things worse is that this is happening well before the projected peak in solar activity, which should have happened in 2025.
Scientists are growing increasingly concerned as the frequency of geomagnetic storms sparked by the Sun continues to rise, according to a Science Alert report.
While immediate danger remains unlikely, the heightened solar activity does present potential consequences some fascinating, others worrisome.
As far as the fascinating part is concerned, these storms are responsible for spectacular phenomena such as the mesmerizing Aurora Borealis.
On the other hand geomagnetic storms also cause radio blackouts and pose a threat to low-Earth orbit satellites (LEOs). This is the case when these geomagnetic storms are not very strong. When these storms get more powerful, things get worse.
In February 2022, an incident dubbed the "Starlink destruction event" showcased the Sun's unexpected power. SpaceX launched 49 satellites into low orbit, a move that usually wouldn't render them susceptible to solar disruptions. However, an unforeseen coronal mass ejection triggered a geomagnetic storm that caused the destruction of 38 of these satellites - the storm caused increase in drag and the satellites were never able to get to their desired orbit causing them to fall back towards Earth.
The majority of low-Earth orbit satellites are positioned at altitudes
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