In May 2024, the strongest solar storm in 20 years erupted, causing serious geomagnetic disturbances on Earth.
This phenomenon originates from a particularly strong activity zone on the surface of the Sun, which is monitored by international scientists for a record long time, bringing important data for space weather research and forecasting.
Usually, the Sun orbits its axis for about 28 days. Therefore, from Earth, activity zones on the Sun can only be observed for a maximum of 2 weeks, before turning to the far side and disappearing from sight for another 2 weeks. This makes continuous monitoring of the development of an activity zone very difficult.
However, the Solar Orbiter mission launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2020 has significantly expanded its observation capabilities. This spacecraft orbits the Sun in a cycle of about 6 months, allowing it to record areas far from Earth.
Thanks to Solar Orbiter, from April to July 2024, scientists tracked one of the sun's most active regions in 20 years, named NOAA 13664.
When the region turned to the opposite side of Earth in May 2024, it triggered the strongest geomagnetic storms since 2003.
According to researchers, NOAA 13664 is the cause of the brilliant auroras, which can be observed at unusually low latitudes, spreading down to Central Europe. This is a clear sign showing the intensity of solar eruptions during this period.
The research team led by scientists at ETH Zurich followed NOAA 13664 almost continuously for 94 days, from its formation on April 16, 2024 to its weakening and disintegration after July 18, 2024. This is the longest continuous observation ever recorded for a single activity zone on the Sun.
Strong operating regions such as NOAA 13664 are where extremely complex and powerful magnetic fields exist. They form when high-magnitude plasma rises to the surface of the Sun and are often the source of violent eruptions.
In addition to creating auroras, solar storms can also have many negative impacts on the modern world. They can disrupt communication, cause widespread power outages, increase radiation exposure to aircraft crews and seriously affect satellite systems in orbit.
According to scientists, this 94-day observation record not only helps better understand the dynamics of the Sun but also plays an important role in improving the accuracy of spatial weather forecasts, thereby helping to minimize risks to technology infrastructure and life on Earth in the future.
