Study Reveals Surprising Local Impact of Solar Storms Due to Inadequate Instrument Network

A new study reveals that solar storms have greater local variations in their impact on Earth than previously estimated, with effects varying even over distances as small as 100 kilometers. The current magnetometer network used to record solar storms is too sparse, with magnetometers spaced about 400 kilometers apart on average. The study analyzed historical data from a dense magnetometer network in the Nordic countries and found clear regional differences in solar storm intensity. The researchers suggest that a denser magnetometer network would help understand the complex structure of the magnetic field during solar storms and provide better warnings for local magnetic disturbances, safeguarding infrastructure and improving regional warnings for air traffic.