Aurorae were seen across the world thanks to increased solar activity
There might be total darkness in the depths of the sea, but the Sun still impacts the abyss. During this month’s solar storms – which resulted in aurorae lighting up half of the planet on 10 May – Ocean Networks Canada’s (ONC) deep-sea observatories recorded disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field. The ONC observatories are located from the Arctic to the Antarctic and have more than 12,000 sensors recording data, including compasses used to measure ocean currents.
Concurrent with this month’s explosive solar activity, the compasses recorded significant anomalies – dramatic shifts in Earth’s magnetic field. One compass at the NEPTUNE observatory near Vancouver Island changed direction between 30 and -30 degrees.