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5 Geomagnetic Storms That Reshaped Society

By Communications and Publishing July 9, 2024

Geomagnetic storms can damage Earth-orbiting satellites, interfere with radio communication, cause blackouts, and damage high-voltage transformers. We are currently in Solar Cycle 25. The solar maximum and magnetic storm occurrence are expected to peak sometime in 2025. USGS monitors the geomagnetic field, operates observatories, and surveys the electromagnetic properties of Earth.

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These five events serve as a handful of examples where significant geomagnetic storms affected power grids, interrupted communications networks, and inspired innovation in technologies that we see in modern society today.

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5 Geomagnetic Storms that Reshaped Society

Every 11 years the Sun's magnetic field flips. This period is referred to as a solar cycle. As we approach the peak of Solar Cycle 25, activity on the Sun’s surface will increase, including more solar flares, sunspots, and coronal mass ejections.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Communications and Publishing

The March 1940 superstorm: Geoelectromagnetic hazards and impacts on American communication and power systems

An analysis is made of geophysical records of the 24 March 1940, magnetic storm and related reports of interference on long-line communication and power systems across the contiguous United States and, to a lesser extent, Canada. Most long-line system interference occurred during local daytime, after the second of two storm sudden commencements and during the early part of the storm's main phase.
Authors
Jeffrey J. Love, E. Joshua Rigler, Michael D Hartinger, Greg M. Lucas, Anna Kelbert, Paul A. Bedrosian
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Mapping a magnetic superstorm: March 1989 geoelectric hazards and impacts on United States power systems

A study is made of the relationships between geomagnetic and geoelectric field variation, Earth-surface impedance, and operational interference (anomalies) experienced on electric-power systems across the contiguous United States during the March 13-14, 1989 magnetic storm. For this, a 1-minute-resolution sequence of geomagnetic field maps is constructed from magnetometer time series acquired at g
Authors
Jeffrey J. Love, Greg M. Lucas, E. Joshua Rigler, Benjamin Scott Murphy, Anna Kelbert, Paul A. Bedrosian
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Characteristics and sources of intense geoelectric fields in the United States: Comparative analysis of multiple geomagnetic storms

Intense geoelectric fields during geomagnetic storms drive geomagnetically induced currents in power grids and other infrastructure, yet there are limited direct measurements of these storm-time geoelectric fields. Moreover, most previous studies examining storm-time geoelectric fields focused on single events or small geographic regions, making it difficult to determine the typical source(s) of i
Authors
Xueling Shi, Michael D Hartinger, Joseph B. H. Baker, Benjamin Scott Murphy, Paul A. Bedrosian, Anna Kelbert, Erin (Josh) Rigler
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Intensity and impact of the New York Railroad superstorm of May 1921

Analysis is made of low‐latitude ground‐based magnetometer data recording the magnetic superstorm of May 1921. By inference, the storm was driven by a series of interplanetary coronal mass ejections, one of which produced a maximum pressure on the magnetopause of ~64.5 nPa, sufficient to compress the subsolar magnetopause radius to ~5.3 Earth radii. Over the course of the storm, low‐latitude geoma
Authors
Jeffrey J. Love, Hisashi Hayakawa, Edward W. Cliver
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Extreme geomagnetic storms: Probabilistic forecasts and their uncertainties

Extreme space weather events are low-frequency, high-risk phenomena. Estimating their rates of occurrence, as well as their associated uncertainties, is difficult. In this study, we derive statistical estimates and uncertainties for the occurrence rate of an extreme geomagnetic storm on the scale of the Carrington event (or worse) occurring within the next decade. We model the distribution of even
Authors
Pete Riley, Jeffrey J. Love
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Secular trends in storm-level geomagnetic activity

Analysis is made of K-index data from groups of ground-based geomagnetic observatories in Germany, Britain, and Australia, 1868.0–2009.0, solar cycles 11–23. Methods include nonparametric measures of trends and statistical significance used by the hydrological and climatological research communities. Among the three observatory groups, German K data systematically record the highest disturbance le
Authors
J.J. Love
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
Space Weather and Magnetic Storms: Invaders from Outer Space…Sort Of

Space Weather and Magnetic Storms: Invaders from Outer Space…Sort Of

While major geomagnetic storms are rare, with only a few recorded per century, there is significant potential for large-scale impacts when they do...

Read Article
Preparing the Nation for Intense Space Weather

Preparing the Nation for Intense Space Weather

While major geomagnetic storms are rare, with only a few recorded per century, there is significant potential for large-scale impacts when they do...

Read Article
Mapping a Space-Weather Menace to Electric-Power Grids

Mapping a Space-Weather Menace to Electric-Power Grids

New strides have been made toward quantifying how geomagnetic storms can interfere with the nation’s electric-power grid systems.  

Read Article
The Nation Prepares for Extreme Space Weather

The Nation Prepares for Extreme Space Weather

A severe solar storm could disrupt the nation’s power grid for months, potentially leading to widespread blackouts. Resulting damage and disruption...
Read Article

Related

geomag video thumbnail

5 Geomagnetic Storms that Reshaped Society

Every 11 years the Sun's magnetic field flips. This period is referred to as a solar cycle. As we approach the peak of Solar Cycle 25, activity on the Sun’s surface will increase, including more solar flares, sunspots, and coronal mass ejections.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Communications and Publishing

The March 1940 superstorm: Geoelectromagnetic hazards and impacts on American communication and power systems

An analysis is made of geophysical records of the 24 March 1940, magnetic storm and related reports of interference on long-line communication and power systems across the contiguous United States and, to a lesser extent, Canada. Most long-line system interference occurred during local daytime, after the second of two storm sudden commencements and during the early part of the storm's main phase.
Authors
Jeffrey J. Love, E. Joshua Rigler, Michael D Hartinger, Greg M. Lucas, Anna Kelbert, Paul A. Bedrosian
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Mapping a magnetic superstorm: March 1989 geoelectric hazards and impacts on United States power systems

A study is made of the relationships between geomagnetic and geoelectric field variation, Earth-surface impedance, and operational interference (anomalies) experienced on electric-power systems across the contiguous United States during the March 13-14, 1989 magnetic storm. For this, a 1-minute-resolution sequence of geomagnetic field maps is constructed from magnetometer time series acquired at g
Authors
Jeffrey J. Love, Greg M. Lucas, E. Joshua Rigler, Benjamin Scott Murphy, Anna Kelbert, Paul A. Bedrosian
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Characteristics and sources of intense geoelectric fields in the United States: Comparative analysis of multiple geomagnetic storms

Intense geoelectric fields during geomagnetic storms drive geomagnetically induced currents in power grids and other infrastructure, yet there are limited direct measurements of these storm-time geoelectric fields. Moreover, most previous studies examining storm-time geoelectric fields focused on single events or small geographic regions, making it difficult to determine the typical source(s) of i
Authors
Xueling Shi, Michael D Hartinger, Joseph B. H. Baker, Benjamin Scott Murphy, Paul A. Bedrosian, Anna Kelbert, Erin (Josh) Rigler
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Intensity and impact of the New York Railroad superstorm of May 1921

Analysis is made of low‐latitude ground‐based magnetometer data recording the magnetic superstorm of May 1921. By inference, the storm was driven by a series of interplanetary coronal mass ejections, one of which produced a maximum pressure on the magnetopause of ~64.5 nPa, sufficient to compress the subsolar magnetopause radius to ~5.3 Earth radii. Over the course of the storm, low‐latitude geoma
Authors
Jeffrey J. Love, Hisashi Hayakawa, Edward W. Cliver
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Extreme geomagnetic storms: Probabilistic forecasts and their uncertainties

Extreme space weather events are low-frequency, high-risk phenomena. Estimating their rates of occurrence, as well as their associated uncertainties, is difficult. In this study, we derive statistical estimates and uncertainties for the occurrence rate of an extreme geomagnetic storm on the scale of the Carrington event (or worse) occurring within the next decade. We model the distribution of even
Authors
Pete Riley, Jeffrey J. Love
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Secular trends in storm-level geomagnetic activity

Analysis is made of K-index data from groups of ground-based geomagnetic observatories in Germany, Britain, and Australia, 1868.0–2009.0, solar cycles 11–23. Methods include nonparametric measures of trends and statistical significance used by the hydrological and climatological research communities. Among the three observatory groups, German K data systematically record the highest disturbance le
Authors
J.J. Love
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
Space Weather and Magnetic Storms: Invaders from Outer Space…Sort Of

Space Weather and Magnetic Storms: Invaders from Outer Space…Sort Of

While major geomagnetic storms are rare, with only a few recorded per century, there is significant potential for large-scale impacts when they do...

Read Article
Preparing the Nation for Intense Space Weather

Preparing the Nation for Intense Space Weather

While major geomagnetic storms are rare, with only a few recorded per century, there is significant potential for large-scale impacts when they do...

Read Article
Mapping a Space-Weather Menace to Electric-Power Grids

Mapping a Space-Weather Menace to Electric-Power Grids

New strides have been made toward quantifying how geomagnetic storms can interfere with the nation’s electric-power grid systems.  

Read Article
The Nation Prepares for Extreme Space Weather

The Nation Prepares for Extreme Space Weather

A severe solar storm could disrupt the nation’s power grid for months, potentially leading to widespread blackouts. Resulting damage and disruption...
Read Article

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