Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered tiny but powerful plasma vortices in the solar wind — ‘space tornadoes’ capable of causing geomagnetic storms and disrupting the operation of satellites and power systems on Earth.
Researchers at the University of Michigan are warning of a new threat from space — so-called ‘space tornadoes.’ These miniature plasma vortices, which occur when powerful solar emissions collide with solar wind streams, can cause serious geomagnetic storms that disrupt satellites, power grids and communications on Earth.
Previously, scientists focused on giant coronal mass ejections (CMEs), but new research published in The Astrophysical Journal shows that even smaller vortices with diameters ranging from 3,000 to 6 million miles can have a devastating impact.
‘Our simulations show that the magnetic field inside these vortices can be powerful enough to cause a geomagnetic storm,’ said one of the authors of the paper, climatologist and space physicist Chip Manchester.
Scientists emphasise that existing solar telescopes are unable to track such vortices, especially on the far side of the Sun, creating a ‘blind spot’ for space weather warnings.
To fill this gap, researchers have proposed the SWIFT (Space Weather Investigation Frontier) mission, a system of four spacecraft that will observe the solar wind and give Earth more time to respond. To keep the spacecraft in the right position, solar sails are planned to be used, a technology that allows movement using the pressure of sunlight.
While scientists are looking for ways to protect Earth from space storms, other discoveries continue to surprise astronomers. For example, a ‘wandering planet’ was recently discovered that absorbs six billion tonnes of gas and dust per second — a phenomenon that blurs the boundaries between a planet and a star.
