Earth has entered a plasma stream emanating from a large coronal hole on the Sun, according to the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Experts note that this event will be the main factor in space weather in the coming days.
Currently, there is an acceleration of the solar wind and an increase in its density. "This indicates the beginning of the coronal hole's impact on near-Earth space. Precursors, including an increase in gas density near Earth, were observed yesterday," the scientists clarified. Coronal holes are areas of the solar corona with reduced temperature and density, from which plasma escapes into space at speeds of hundreds of kilometers per second.
The impact on Earth is moderate. Strong magnetic storms are not expected, but the development of a weak geomagnetic disturbance is likely.