Got this this morning cos I sign up to alerts from the Space Weather Prediction Center. It's a geomagnetic disturbance alert with a G3 strength ie:
Power systems: voltage corrections may be required, false alarms triggered on some protection devices.
Spacecraft operations: surface charging may occur on satellite components, drag may increase on low-Earth-orbit satellites, and corrections may be needed for orientation problems.
Other systems: intermittent satellite navigation and low-frequency radio navigation problems may occur, HF radio may be intermittent, and aurora has been seen as low as Illinois and Oregon (typically 50° geomagnetic lat.)**.
As I said, this is a G3 (strong) rating and
NOT a G4 (severe) or G5 (extreme) but always best to keep an eye on these things.
Email alert recieved:
Geomagnetic activity is expected to increase on 9th January due to the arri=
val of a halo CME associated with an X1-class solar flare.
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http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=3Df5...9c25d947b2
http://bgs.us5.list-manage.com/track/cli...9c25d947b2
** Geomagnetic Disturbance Alert
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** 8th January 2014
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** British Geological Survey
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A fast Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) was observed leaving the Sun around 18:3=
0UT on 7th January. It was associated with an X1-class solar flare from nea=
r the centre of the solar disc and it appears to be heading towards the Ear=
th. The arrival at Earth is most likely to be sometime on 9th January.
There is a strong possibility of a geomagnetic storm following the arrival =
and hence an increased chance of viewing the aurora over the next few night=
s. The night of the 9=5Eth and 10=5Eth is the most likely for UK viewers. A=
ssuming clear, dark skies, the best locations for seeing the aurora in the =
UK will be in Scotland, the far north of England and Northern Ireland; howe=
ver if the conditions are right, viewers further south will also have a cha=
nce.
NB - Those who are interested can go
here and
here for more info or to sign up yourselves?
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