Observational Overview of the May 2024 G5-Level Geomagnetic Storm: From Solar Eruptions to Terrestrial Consequences

Abstract

This study reports comprehensive observations for the G5-level geomagnetic storm that occurred from May 10 to 12, 2024, the most intense event since the 2003 Halloween storm. The storm was triggered by a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) originating from the merging of two active regions 13664/13668, which formed a large and complex photospheric magnetic configuration and produced X-class flares in early May 2024. Among the events, the most significant CME, driven by an X2.2 flare on May 9, caught up with and merged with a preceding slower CME associated with an X-class flare on May 8. These combined CMEs reached 1 AU simultaneously, resulting in an extreme geomagnetic storm. Geostationary satellite observations revealed changes in Earth’s magnetosphere due to solar wind impacts, increased fluxes of high-energy particles, and periodic magnetic field fluctuations accompanied by particle injections. Extreme geomagnetic storms resulting from the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth’s magnetosphere caused significant energy influx into Earth’s upper atmosphere over the polar regions, leading to thermospheric heating and changes in the global atmospheric composition and ionosphere. As part of this global disturbance, significant disruptions were also observed in the East Asian sector, including the Korean Peninsula. Ground-based observations show strong negative storm effects in the ionosphere, which are associated with thermospheric heating and resulting in decreases in the oxygen-to-nitrogen ratio (O/N2) in high-latitude regions. Global responses of storm-time prompt penetration electric fields were also observed from magnetometers over the East-Asian longitudinal sector. We also briefly report storm-time responses of aurora and cosmic rays using all-sky cameras and neutron monitors operated by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI). The extensive observations of the G5-level storm offer crucial insights into Sun-Earth interactions during extreme space weather events and may help establish better preparation for future space weather challenges.

Keywords

• solar flares
• coronal mass ejections (cmes)
• solar wind
• geomagnetic storm
• magnetosphere responses