NOAA News NOAA Home Page Previous Story July 14, 2000


GEOMAGNETIC STORM REACHES EARTH, NOAA REPORTS



July 15, 2000 — NOAA's Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo., reports that a geomagnetic storm hit the Earth's magnetic field Saturday at 10:40 a.m. EDT. The event was classified as a severe to extreme event, which on NOAA's Space Weather Scales falls between a G-4 to G-5.

(Animation of the sun was made from imges taken by the NASA/European Space Agency SOHO satellite from July 14-15 2000.) [Click image for larger view.]



A G-4 geomagnetic storm can cause the following disruptions.

Power systems: possible voltage stability problems, portions of grids collapse and protective devices trip.

Spacecraft operations: experience surface charging and tracking problems, orientation problems need corrections.

Other systems: induced pipeline currents affect preventive measures, HF radio propagation sporadic, satellite navigation degraded for hours, low-frequency radio navigation disrupted, and the aurora seen as low as in the tropics.

A G-5 geomagnetic storm can cause the following disruptions.

Power systems: grid systems can collapse and transformers experience damage.

Spacecraft operations: extensive surface charging, problems with orientation, uplink/downlink, and tracking satellites.

Other systems: pipeline currents reach hundreds of amps, HF (high frequency) radio propagation impossible in many areas for one to two days, satellite navigation degraded for days, low-frequency radio navigation out for hours, and the aurora seen as low as the equator.

This is the largest solar radiation storm since October of 1989. Solar radiation storms can reach Earth very quickly and can cause effects such as low-level radiation for commercial jet crews flying at high latitudes and single event upsets for satellites.

In addition, there is a good chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis Saturday night through Sunday morning in the mid-latitudes and possibly lower. Cities such as Washington, D.C., Seattle, New York, and Denver (with the possibility of other cities located in the southern U.S.) may be able to observe this phenomena.

For updates consult NOAA's Space Environment Center Web site. Click on "Space Weather Now" and then click on "Latest Alert, Warning, or Watch" or "Last Space Weather Bulletin."


Relevant Web Sites
NOAA's Space Environment Center


NOAA's Space Weather Scales

NOAA Space Weather Advisories

Today's Space Weather Forecast
— Includes the latest image of the sun from Earth-based telescopes positioned around the world.

Real-time images of the Sun from NASA's SOHO Satellite


SPACE WEATHER - WHAT IS IT AND WHY DO WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT?

NEW NOAA SPACE WEATHER SCALES MAKE SOLAR MAX EFFECTS MORE PREDICTABLE


Media Contact:
Barbara McGehan, NOAA Space Environment Center, Boulder, Colo., at (303) 497-6288.

 

 

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