Trivandrum Observatory records shed new light on Carrington Event of 1859
The research provides evidence that the Carrington Event, one of the most powerful geomagnetic storms ever recorded, was preceded and followed by a sequence of solar plasma ejections that interacted with the Earth’s magnetic field over several weeks
A study led by faculty from the Trivandrum Astronomical Observatory in Kerala has shed new light on the Carrington Event of 1859, one of the most powerful geomagnetic storms ever recorded. The research, published in the international journal Astrophysics and Space Science, draws from magnetic observations preserved at the observatory since the 1870s.
The records, which were later transported to Scotland and eventually to the National Library of Scotland, reveal a sequence of solar plasma ejections that occurred between August 14 and September 15, 1859. These ejections, which included coronal mass ejections (CMEs), interacted with Earth's magnetic field over several weeks, contributing to the exceptional intensity of the storm that struck on September 2.
The findings suggest that the cumulative impact of these solar events may have preconditioned the Earth's magnetosphere, influencing the severity of the subsequent geomagnetic disturbance. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding successive solar eruptions and their cumulative effects on Earth's magnetosphere, with implications for contemporary space-weather research.
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