Story perspectives

Superstorm Shrinks Earth's Plasmasphere by 80% in Hours

11/22/2025

Summary

Story summary

In May 2024, the Gannon superstorm, named for Dr. Jennifer Gannon, compressed Earth's plasmasphere by 80%.
The Arase satellite, operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), provided data showing the plasmasphere shrank from 44,000 km to 9,600 km in nine hours.
Recovery took over four days, twice as long as typical storms.
The findings were published in Earth, Planets and Space.

History

Historical Context

The Gannon superstorm in May 2024, a powerful geomagnetic storm, compressed Earth's plasmasphere significantly, echoing the 1989 storm that caused widespread power outages in Quebec. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Arase satellite recorded an 80% reduction in plasmasphere size, highlighting the increasing intensity of solar storms and their potential impacts on technology and infrastructure, necessitating improved preparedness for future events.

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Story summary

In May 2024, the Gannon superstorm, named for Dr. Jennifer Gannon, compressed Earth's plasmasphere by 80%.
The Arase satellite, operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), provided data showing the plasmasphere shrank from 44,000 km to 9,600 km in nine hours.
Recovery took over four days, twice as long as typical storms.
The findings were published in Earth, Planets and Space.

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