Three clouds of solar plasma are heading towards Earth, which could cause a series of geomagnetic disturbances. The first is expected on the evening of October 9, and the next two, according to the forecast of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Laboratory of Solar Astronomy, may merge into a single structure and reach the planet in the middle of the day on October 11.
The first ejection occurred on October 6 during an M1.4 class solar flare. According to laboratory calculations, the cloud will reach Earth after 6:00 PM Moscow time and may cause a G2-level magnetic storm — medium in intensity. Scientists also admit the appearance of bright auroras at latitudes of 55–60 degrees and further north.
Two more clouds left the Sun on October 7 and 8. The second of these accompanied the most powerful solar flare of this autumn at the time of the original message's publication. According to the forecast, the ejections may merge during their movement towards Earth and jointly affect its magnetosphere on Sunday.
Auroras occur when charged particles interact with Earth's magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. Geomagnetic disturbances can also affect the operation of satellites and radio communications, but the specific consequences depend on the parameters of the plasma flow and its interaction with the planet's magnetic field.
After the clouds pass, scientists expect a sharp decrease in solar activity. However, the arrival times of the ejections, the strength of the magnetic storm, and the possibility of observing auroras remain predictive estimates and may be refined as new data becomes available.
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