Large-scale solar storm form another radiation belt around the Earth: NASA captures the unusual phenomenon

A powerful solar storm that caused the aurora borealis in the spring of 2024 gave the Earth a new belt. It is the so-called Van Allen belt, which revolves around the planet.

Scientists explain that the Van Allen belts are two bagel-shaped radiation belts orbiting the Earth, consisting of energetic charged particles trapped by the planet's magnetic field. According to NASA, as a result of intense solar storms that occurred in May, a temporary third belt appeared around the Earth, IflScience writes.

"Scientists are studying the data to better understand the newly formed belt and how long it can last. Stay tuned for their discoveries!" NASA said.

It is believed that most of the energized particles captured by the belts come from the solar wind, while others come in the form of cosmic rays. When strong solar storms reach Earth, as they did in May of this year, it can cause a disruption that allows a third layer of charged particles to become trapped in the magnetosphere.

According to the scientists, the new belt was discovered between the two constants by NASA's Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) CubeSat, a satellite that monitors the Earth's inner radiation belt. Experts can't say for sure how long this might last. The space agency said the timeline could stretch from months to years.

It is well known that solar storms can interfere with the Van Allen belts on Earth. For example, in September 2012, there was an intense flurry of high-energy particle emissions from the Sun's atmosphere, which created a third time zone that disappeared in a matter of weeks.

Scientists claim that the geomagnetic storm of May 2024 was the strongest in the last 20 years. Along with the formation of the third Van Allen belt and the creation of a previously invisible vortex in the Earth's atmosphere, the most noticeable impact on earthlings was the spectacle of the stunning northern lights in latitudes where there are usually no auroras.

Nevertheless, experts warn that geomagnetic storms can cause not only beautiful color splashes in the night sky but also dangerous disruptions. After all, much of the technology that governs the world, such as GPS and satellite telecommunications, can suffer from aggressive space weather.

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