Observations by Aditya-L1 help decode unusual dawn-time geomagnetic disturbances during strong solar storms

Aditya-L1's observations reveal unusual dawn-time geomagnetic disturbances during strong solar storms, enhancing our understanding of solar wind effects.

Observations and measurements made by India’s maiden solar mission, Aditya-L1, have helped to decode the unusual dawn-time geomagnetic disturbances during strong solar storms.

Geomagnetic storms are large disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field caused by changes in the solar wind- a continuous flow of charged particles released from the Sun.

“When sudden increases or decreases in solar wind pressure strike Earth’s magnetic shield (the magnetosphere), those can trigger sharp changes in the magnetic field,” the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.

During the peak phase of Solar Cycle 25, two very intense geomagnetic storms occurred on 10 May and 10 October 2024.

These storms produced widespread magnetic disturbances and spectacular auroras that were visible even at unusually low latitudes.

Scientists noted a particularly striking feature during both storms in the form of an unusual pattern in the response of the Earth’s magnetic field. Under normal circumstances, when solar wind dynamic pressure suddenly increases, most low-latitude regions of the Earth experience a positive (enhanced) magnetic perturbation.