A powerful magnetic storm that occurred on January 20, 2026, showed atypical behavior of Earth’s atmosphere. This was reported by the director of the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the SB RAS, Andrey Medvedev, at a press conference.
According to the academic, the current cycle of solar activity remains moderate, but this time a qualitatively new state of near-Earth space—the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere—was observed. One of the most notable manifestations was the shift of auroras to lower latitudes, which is why they became visible not only in the north but also, for instance, in Irkutsk.
Experts note that the storm developed according to an unusual scenario. Specifically, the interplanetary magnetic field maintained a positive value for a long time, whereas typically in similar situations it rapidly turns negative.
Researchers emphasize that the presence of modern observational equipment allows for the collection of unique data about the processes occurring in the atmosphere and near-Earth space, which is important for further understanding of solar-terrestrial connections.
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