Geomagnetic Storms: Northern Lights Seen Farther South, Raising Vulnerability Concerns

Swift Summary

• Event: On May 10, 2024, Mexico experienced its most powerful geomagnetic storm in over two decades, which caused auroras visible from unexpected low-latitude regions like Mexico.
• Duration: the storm lasted over 40 hours and impacted various countries, including Italy and the southern UK.
• Cause: The auroras resulted from a coronal mass ejection (CME) that sent solar particles colliding with Earth’s atmosphere, generating geomagnetic storms.
• Effects: The ionosphere temporarily disrupted satellite interaction systems with an 80-nanosecond deviation in Mexico’s Global Navigation Satellite System; however, no blackout occurred.
• Citizen Science Efforts: Residents celebrated Mother’s Day by documenting rare auroras through photos shared on social media.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The presence of auroras at low latitudes in a country like Mexico underlines the growing intensity and unpredictability of solar activity during the current solar cycle peak (“solar maximum”). While Mexico’s electrical grid remained resilient during this geomagnetic event, it highlights potential vulnerabilities for other nations closer to the equator with less robust infrastructure to handle such disruptions. As India’s own reliance on satellite communications grows due to expanding digital connectivity and space endeavors (e.g.,Chandrayaan missions),preparedness against similar solar events is crucial. Proactive efforts such as improved monitoring systems and citizen science initiatives could help India mitigate risks while contributing valuable data for broader space weather research globally.

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Read More: Northern Lights in unexpected low latitudes