G4 (Severe) Geomagnetic Storm: Solar Activity and Space Weather

Category: Science & Technology / Space Weather

  • A geomagnetic storm occurs when disturbances in the solar wind interact strongly with Earth's magnetosphere.
  • They are commonly associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares.
  • A G4 storm represents a severe geomagnetic storm on the NOAA five-level scale.
  • Possible effects include:
    • Disruption of satellite operations.
    • Radio communication disturbances.
    • Navigation and GPS errors.
    • Increased auroral activity.
    • Geomagnetically induced currents affecting power infrastructure.
  • The scale ranges from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme).
  • UPSC Focus: Solar flares, CMEs, magnetosphere, auroras, space weather.