Earth waits for 'strong geomagnetic storms'

After solar bursts and their manifestations occurred on January 22, the Earth’s magnetic field run high, even it caused geomagnetic storm. The strong geomagnetic storm is expected in the evening today and tomorrow, Director on Scientific Affairs of Shamakhy Astrophysical Observatory named after N. Tusi Elchin Babayev reported.

“This burst was so strong that it is compared with the X-ray bursts. One more feature of this coronal expulsion is the high speed movement of plasma mass in the form of plasma cloud. This speed develops to 2200 km/h. It is an enough high speed. This speed means that the plasma cloud will overcome 150 million kilometers between the Sun and Earth soon. This effect will reach the Earth on January 24 at 18.00. But the forecasts say that this number will differ in 5-6 hours.

The probability of very strong geomagnetic storms is measured in 10-25%. It is a great number. This effect will be stronger for the countries situated in the northern latitude. This effect will be felt in the latitudes where Azerbaijan is situated, but it will be weaker than those in the northern latitude.

Babayev noted that such extreme situation in the Sun is considered normal, because the Sun is approaching its 24th 11-year solar maximum. Both the number of sunspots and the number and strength (intensiveness) of flashes occurring near these spots increase. The intensiveness of active occurrences after these flashes also increase.

Such geomagnetic storms will first of all influence the technologic systems. The technologic systems of countries of the northern hemisphere will be influenced most of all. One more large size coronal hole is observed on the Sun’s surface. Its effect will be felt starting with January 28: “It can lead to the geomagnetic storm. But anyway many things depend on the occurrence of Solar burst. That is if this effect matches with another effect, the negative effects will increase yet more”.


/APA/