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Aditya‑L1 Study Finds Turbulent Sheath Drove 2024 Solar Storm’s Harshest Earth Impacts

ISRO says the peer‑reviewed result strengthens the case for real‑time space‑weather monitoring ahead of the 2026 solar maximum.

Overview

  • The analysis shows the storm’s turbulent sheath compressed Earth’s magnetic field unusually close to the planet, intensifying geomagnetic effects.
  • Some satellites in geostationary orbit were briefly exposed to harsh space conditions, a situation seen only during severe space‑weather events.
  • Currents in high‑latitude auroral regions became super‑intensified during the turbulent phase, with potential heating of the upper atmosphere and enhanced atmospheric escape.
  • The research combined Aditya‑L1 observations with data from other international missions and was published in December 2025 in The Astrophysical Journal (DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae1974).
  • ISRO highlights the need to characterize sheath turbulence for forecasting, underscoring Aditya‑L1’s role from the SunEarth L1 point about 1.5 million km away.