Forecasting the Final Frontier: How Research Prepares U.S. for the Next Solar Storm

Just last month, a powerful solar storm lit up skies across the northern hemisphere, producing vivid auroras visible as far south as parts of the northern United States. 

But the breathtaking light show wasn’t the only impact. The severe geomagnetic storm, triggered by a coronal mass ejection from the sun, sent waves of charged particles racing toward Earth, disrupting satellites, scrambling GPS signals and straining sections of the power grid. The event was a stark reminder that space weather is not just about spectacle, but a growing national security risk. 

At the University of Florida, space physicist Alicia Petersen, Ph.D., is working on solutions that could help shield the nation from the next big solar storm.

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