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Over a few days in January 2026, a particularly strong X-class solar flare caused a geomagnetic storm in Earth\u2019s atmosphere, with some of the most intense radiation storms on record. The cause was an eruption on the Sun\u2019s surface, which released high energy particles that reached Earth within 25 hours. ESA\u2019s ice mission, CryoSat had just received an important software update, enabling the mission to not only monitor polar ice sheets and sea ice, but to also provide scientific data on Earth\u2019s magnetic field.<\/p>\n
As shown in this video, data from CryoSat, together with data from two of Swarm\u2019s satellites, as well as data from the Macau Science Satellite-1 (MMS-1) and NASA\u2019s GRACE-FO satellite, was used to model the intensity of the disturbance in Earth\u2019s magnetic field, caused by the solar flare. The colours on the map represent intensity extremes, with the dark orange indicating where Earth\u2019s magnetic field increased in strength, while the dark blue indicates where the magnetic field got weaker. The magnetic intensity highs and lows over the three-day period in 19-22 January illustrates the disturbance in Earth\u2019s magnetosphere.<\/p>\n
The Disturbance Storm Time (DST) index, shown below the map, indicates the severity of geomagnetic storms, measured in nano-Tesla (nT). The more negative the DST value, the stronger the storm, suggesting that the storm was at its most powerful just after mid-day on 20 January.<\/p>\n
Read full story:<\/b> How does an ice satellite detect a geomagnetic storm?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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