Representative image showing a solar storm.
Credit: iStock Photo
Scientists at NASA have sent out an alert regarding a big solar storm in the upcoming days. This solar storm might affect electronic communications and disrupt satellites.
Let us take a look at what a solar storm is and if it will have any impact in India.
What is a solar storm?
As per the definition by NASA, a solar storm is a sudden explosion of particles, energy, magnetic fields, and material that gets blasted into the solar system by the sun.
A solar storm can create a major disturbance in earth's magnetic field. A solar storm is also known as 'geomagnetic storm' when directed towards the Earth. Due to this, it can have effects like radio blackouts, power outages and auroras.
However, a solar storm does not have the capacity to harm anyone on the Earth as the planet's magnetic field and atmosphere create protection against the storm.
Will India be impacted by the solar storm?
A report by NDTV said that the Indian Space research Organisation (ISRO) is monitoring the phenomenon and will be taking necessary precautions against it.
Director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Dr Annapurni Subramanian speaking to NDTV said that some interference is expected in the magnetosphere.
"But we would like to wait and see because it takes a few days to hit the Earth. We expect to do something tonight or tomorrow night to see if anything is happening," she said, as quoted by the publication.
Dr Subramanian said that according to their predictions, it may or may not happen. She also added that this storm could result in an aurora display in the norther hemisphere.
In May this year, a powerful solar storm had impacted earth,riggered by the highly active region AR13664, as per a report by ISRO.
The region had unleashed a series of X-class flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) directed at Earth.