A series of geomagnetic disturbances that have caused the sun to approach Earth in recent days could give some residents of the Northern Hemisphere a light show in the form of the Aurora Borealis next week.
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center said the influence of solar storms from what are known as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and Coronal Hole High Speed Streams had already reached Earth Sunday, with effects lasting until Friday evening.
Aurora lights were spotted early Sunday morning in Washington, Wyoming and Maine.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Riverton, Wyoming shared a photo under a glowing amber sky taken early Sunday.
Dancing lights are also visible on the outskirts of Seattle. Skunkbay Weather captured the green early Sunday in the video at the top of this story.
A Geomagnetic Storm Watch was issued prior to the event’s arrival and warned of possible disruption to the spacecraft’s communications and operational systems.
NOAA’s SWPC said moderate G2 storms were observed Sunday and are likely to continue Sunday night into Monday.
If NOAA experts believe the event may be stronger than originally expected, the warning can be upgraded to a higher level warning.
The Northern Lights are seen over Riverton, Wyoming on November 5, 2023. NWS Riverton
During the most significant geometric storms, widespread power outages may occur, and communication systems are subject to failure.
“Solar magnetic variability controls the frequency and severity of space weather events and hazards, which can disrupt the electrical grid, degrade GPS signals, increase orbital drag on satellites, and pose radiation hazards to airline crews and astronauts,” SWPC said.
Failure to anticipate the strength of a geomagnetic storm in 2022 has been blamed for the loss of more than three dozen SpaceX satellites that became inoperable and burned up in Earth’s atmosphere.
The Northern Lights seen around Seattle, Washington on November 5, 2023.YouTube/@skunkbayweather
Forecasting Aurora intensity is challenging
Space experts admit determining the true strength of the activity is challenging.
However, in this event, NOAA’s SWPC expects parts of the world to once again reach at least Level 6 out of 9 on the Kp Index scale by Sunday night.
The most intense kp observed in the past 24 hours was Level 6 on the NOAA scale, according to SWPC’s 3-day aurora forecast, and auroras were observed early Sunday morning from Washington to Wyoming to Maine.
Aurora forecast for Sunday night and Monday in the US and Canada. NOAA
Monday is then forecast to drop Level 3 on the Kp Index scale, indicating weaker activity.
The scale is used to characterize the magnitude of geomagnetic activity, and when the value reaches at least 7, cities such as Seattle and Green Bay, Wisconsin, begin to see great opportunities to witness the Northern Lights if the sky is clear and light pollution is low. .
The University of Alaska Fairbanks’ aurora forecast indicates another spike in Northern Lights activity may be on Thursday night.
Sky coverage forecast for North America on November 6, 2023. FOX Weather
Cloud cover could hamper viewing, and large parts of the northern US are forecast to be under a good layer of clouds from Monday night into Tuesday morning, as is typical during fall and winter.
Geomagnetic storms are likely to become more frequent
Geomagnetic storms could become more frequent next year as the sun begins to move into the solar maximum phase of its 11-year cycle.
The solar cycle is the sequence the sun’s magnetic field goes through every 11 years, during which the field reverses.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
