ISRO’s Aditya-L1 Decodes Impact of Powerful Solar Storm on Earth’s Invisible Magnetic Shield
The study found that the most intense impacts occurred when a highly turbulent region of the solar storm reached earth.
Nellore: Space weather refers to changing conditions in space driven by intense activity on the Sun, such as eruptions of solar plasma, which can disrupt satellites, communication and navigation systems, and even power grid infrastructure on earth.
During major space weather events, earth’s magnetic shield can be severely disturbed, exposing technological systems to increased risk.
In a significant scientific breakthrough, scientists and research students from the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) have published a study in The Astrophysical Journal (DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae1974, December 2025) detailing an in-depth investigation of a powerful solar storm that struck earth in October 2024.
The research used observations from India’s Aditya-L1 solar mission, combined with data from other international space missions.
The study found that the most intense impacts occurred when a highly turbulent region of the solar storm reached earth. This region, identified clearly through Aditya-L1 observations, caused extreme compression of earth’s magnetic field, pushing it unusually close to the planet.
As a result, some satellites in geostationary orbit were briefly exposed to harsh space conditions — an occurrence typically seen only during the most severe space weather events.
During this turbulent phase, electrical currents in the auroral regions at high latitudes became super-intensified. These currents likely heated earth’s upper atmosphere, potentially increasing atmospheric escape.
The findings underscore the critical importance of advancing our understanding of space weather phenomena and strengthening real-time monitoring and assessment capabilities to protect vital space-based assets and earth-dependent infrastructure.