March 1989 geomagnetic storm
The March 1989 geomagnetic storm occurred as part of severe to extreme solar storms during early to mid March 1989, the most notable being a geomagnetic storm that struck Earth on March 13. This geomagnetic storm caused a nine-hour outage of Hydro-Québec's electricity transmission system. The onset time was exceptionally rapid. Other historically significant solar storms occurred later in 1989, during a very active period of solar cycle 22.
Artist's depiction of solar wind striking Earth's magnetosphere (size and distance not to scale)
GOES-7 monitors the space weather conditions during the Great Geomagnetic storm of March 1989, the Moscow neutron monitor recorded the passage of a CME as a drop in levels known as a Forbush decrease.
A geomagnetic storm, also known as a magnetic storm, is a temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere caused by a solar wind shock wave.
Artist's depiction of solar wind particles interacting with Earth's magnetosphere. Sizes are not to scale.
Aurora borealis
GOES-7 monitors space weather conditions during the Great Geomagnetic storm of March 1989. The Moscow neutron monitor recorded the passage of a CME as a drop in levels known as a Forbush decrease.
