These include solar energetic particle (SEP) events, geomagnetically induced currents (GIC), ionospheric disturbances that cause radio and radar scintillation, disruption of navigation by magnetic compass and auroral displays at much lower latitudes than normal. Several space weather phenomena tend to be associated with or are caused by a geomagnetic storm. During the main phase of a geomagnetic storm, electric current in the magnetosphere creates a magnetic force that pushes out the boundary between the magnetosphere and the solar wind.
![a quiet storm bt 2018 a quiet storm bt 2018](https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/rs-144413-6155dd6e0b937c14cbab6e441d41d88569a26517.jpg)
Both interactions cause an increase in plasma movement through the magnetosphere (driven by increased electric fields inside the magnetosphere) and an increase in electric current in the magnetosphere and ionosphere. The solar wind's magnetic field interacts with the Earth's magnetic field and transfers an increased energy into the magnetosphere. The increase in the solar wind pressure initially compresses the magnetosphere. During solar maximum, geomagnetic storms occur more often, with the majority driven by CMEs. The frequency of geomagnetic storms increases and decreases with the sunspot cycle. The disturbance that drives the magnetic storm may be a solar coronal mass ejection (CME) or (much less severely) a co-rotating interaction region (CIR), a high-speed stream of solar wind originating from a coronal hole. Sizes are not to scale.Ī geomagnetic storm, also known as a magnetic storm, is a temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere caused by a solar wind shock wave and/or cloud of magnetic field that interacts with the Earth's magnetic field.
![a quiet storm bt 2018 a quiet storm bt 2018](https://media.springernature.com/lw685/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10509-021-04009-2/MediaObjects/10509_2021_4009_Fig1_HTML.png)
![a quiet storm bt 2018 a quiet storm bt 2018](https://geo-media.beatport.com/image_size/1400x1400/09d69765-da3b-4397-b4c5-eec59e8eff2b.jpg)
Artist's depiction of solar wind particles interacting with Earth's magnetosphere.