On March 14 and 15, a minor solar storm hit the Earth. On Wednesday and Thursday, this collided with the magnetosphere found above the Northern Hemisphere. However, the forecast issued beforehand by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that the storm would be mild.
The Storm that Scared Many People
Of course, hearing such a piece of news can be scary for many people who are not familiar with what such a storm can do. The Space Weather Prediction Center, which belongs to the NOAA, released a minor geomagnetic storm watch. This addressed the dates of 14 and 15th of March. The forecasters mentioned that the storm would have a G1 strength, which represents the lowest rating. As such, people had nothing to worry about, since the strongest level is the G5.
Technological Warnings
Despite having such a low rating, forecasters had warned about the minor impacts the storm might have on the satellite functionality. Moreover, it could cause some fluctuations in other weak power grids, but it is unlikely. An unexpected side effect of such a storm was the fact that it produced colorful auroras over the Northern Hemisphere.
In general, auroras happen when the high-energy particles that were emitted by the sun come in contact with the Earth’s magnetosphere and then penetrate it. Next, they hit the gas molecules found in the upper part of the atmosphere and thus they start glowing.
Is There Any Real Danger?
If the high-energy particles come abundantly into the Earth’s atmosphere, the planet may not be able to protect itself from the radiation. As such, the geomagnetic storm can affect power grids, as well as other communications systems. However, the event of a huge solar storm that can do such a serious damage is highly unlikely. Even so, some scientists suggested that NASA should build a huge space shield to protect Earth.