Geomagnetic storm

A temporary disturbance of Earth’s magnetosphere caused by energy and particles transferred from the solar wind, often after a coronal mass ejection.

Interplanetary coronal mass ejection: A coronal mass ejection traveling through interplanetary space, carrying magnetized plasma from the Sun. Its arrival can compress the magnetosphere and supply the energy that drives a storm.
Richard Carrington: An English astronomer who observed a major solar flare in 1859. His observation preceded the most famous geomagnetic storm, which followed a solar eruption.
Space weather forecasting: The prediction of changing conditions in the Sun, solar wind, magnetosphere, and upper atmosphere. Forecasts estimate storm timing and severity so operators can prepare vulnerable systems.
Geomagnetic substorm: A shorter-lived release of energy in the magnetotail that produces rapid auroral and magnetic changes. Substorms can occur during storms but are distinct episodes with different timescales and dynamics.
1989 geomagnetic storm: A severe March 1989 geomagnetic storm that caused a major power blackout in Quebec. It demonstrates how induced currents can produce rapid, large-scale infrastructure failure.
Magnetic reconnection: A process in which magnetic field lines rearrange and release stored magnetic energy. Reconnection between solar-wind and terrestrial fields transfers energy into the magnetosphere.
Carrington Event: The exceptionally intense geomagnetic storm of September 1859, associated with widespread auroras and telegraph disruptions. It is the best-known historical example of an extreme storm.
Geomagnetically induced current: An electrical current driven through long conductors by time-varying geomagnetic fields. Storm-time magnetic changes can induce damaging currents in power grids and pipelines.
Solar energetic particle event: An episode in which high-energy particles from the Sun reach interplanetary space and sometimes Earth. Particle events can accompany solar eruptions but are not the same as magnetospheric disturbance.
Spacecraft charging: The accumulation of electrical charge on or within a spacecraft due to interactions with energetic particles and plasma. Storm-enhanced particle environments can trigger discharges and damage spacecraft electronics.

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