Atmosphere

A powerful geomagnetic superstorm struck Earth on May 10-11, 2024, compressing the planet's protective plasmasphere to unprecedented levels. Observations from Japan's Arase satellite revealed the outer edge shrinking from 44,000 km to just 9,600 km above the surface. The event, the strongest in over two decades, also triggered rare auroras in equatorial regions and highlighted recovery challenges due to ionospheric disruptions.