The European Space Agency\u2019s SMOS and Swarm satellites have, for the first time, successfully tracked a severe solar storm, following an X1.1 solar flare and a halo coronal mass ejection (CME) on March 23, 2024. The CME impacted Earth on March 24, producing a G4 \u2013 Severe geomagnetic storm \u2014 the strongest geomagnetic storm since September 2017.<\/strong><\/p>\n Upon reaching Earth at approximately 15:00 UTC on March 24, the CME produced G3 \u2013 Strong and then G4 \u2013 Severe geomagnetic storming, substantially earlier than anticipated.<\/p>\n This event marked the most intense geomagnetic storm observed since September 2017, significantly affecting Earth\u2019s magnetic field. The rapid onset and severity of the storm provided an unprecedented opportunity for ESA\u2019s SMOS and Swarm missions, to demonstrate their capabilities in real-time observation of such events.<\/p>\n The Swarm satellite constellation, specifically designed to monitor Earth\u2019s magnetic field, was ideally positioned to capture the storm\u2019s effects. Each of the three Swarm satellites is equipped with a magnetometer, allowing for precise measurements of magnetic field strength and variations. <\/p>\n These instruments were crucial in tracking the changes caused by the geomagnetic storm, with Swarm Alpha being the first to report significant alterations in the magnetic field. Following closely, Swarm Bravo offered additional data, indicating extensive changes at lower latitudes, which are uncommon during such events.<\/p>\n![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/xCarI03NmOI\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n