About Gannon’s Solar Storm

In May 2024, Earth was struck by the first G5-level severe geomagnetic storm in over two decades, now known as the Gannon storm, generated by multiple merging coronal mass ejections released from a massive solar active region.

Key Features of Gannon’s Solar Storm

• Formation of a Solar Superstorm: A chain of powerful coronal mass ejections merged in space to create an unusually intense superstorm that reached Earth on May 10, 2024.
• Massive Solar Active Region: NASA observed that the active region responsible for the storm was nearly 17 times the size of Earth, generating extreme solar flares and high-energy particle outflows.
• First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch in Decades: The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its first G5 storm watch in almost twenty years .

Impact of Gannon’s Solar Storm

• Ground-Level Disruptions: High-voltage power lines tripped, transformers overheated, and GPS-guided tractors failed, causing financial losses for affected farmers.
• Aviation and Communication Impact: Trans-Atlantic flights were forced to change routes due to heightened radiation and communication risks.
• Atmospheric and Orbital Effects: Earth’s thermosphere overheated to over 2,100°F, increased drag pushed satellites off-orbit, and NASA’s CIRBE CubeSat deorbited prematurely.
• Magnetospheric and Auroral Changes: The storm created two temporary radiation belts, generated the strongest magnetospheric currents in 20 years, and produced rare magenta auroras across Japan and other regions.

About Aditya-L1 Mission

• Aditya L1 Mission is first Indian mission dedicated to continuous solar observations
• Launched on: September 2, 2023, by ISRO using a PSLV-XL rocket.
• Objective: To study the Sun’s atmosphere, solar wind, and space weather dynamics.
• Orbit: Placed in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1) on January 6, 2024.
  • L1 points Provides an uninterrupted view of the Sun.
• Significance of Aditya L1 Mission. 
  • Enables long-term solar observation without interference from Earth’s atmosphere.
  • Positions India among elite space agencies like NASA and ESA in solar research.