Trivandrum Observatory records shed new light on Carrington Event of 1859
Researchers from Kerala University have used historical magnetic records from the Trivandrum Observatory to gain new insights into the 1859 Carrington Event. The study suggests that a series of solar plasma ejections contributed to the storm's extreme intensity.
Why it matters
Understanding historical solar events is crucial for modern space weather forecasting and protecting global infrastructure from geomagnetic storms.
A study based on historical magnetic observations from the Trivandrum Observatory has provided new insights into the Carrington Event of 1859, one of the most powerful geomagnetic storms ever recorded.
The findings by Kerala University faculty have been published in the international peer-reviewed journal Astrophysics and Space Science.
The research, led by R. Jayakrishnan, Head, Department of Physics and Honorary Director, Trivandrum Astronomical Observatory, provides evidence that the Carrington Event was preceded and followed by a sequence of solar plasma ejections that interacted with the Earth’s magnetic field over several weeks.
The findings indicate that the cumulative impact of these successive solar events may have contributed to the exceptional intensity of the geomagnetic storm recorded on September 2, 1859.
Fazil C.K., project research assistant at the observatory, and Ajesh, faculty member, Department of Physics, are the co-authors of the paper.
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