The most recent solar storms observed in May 2024 caused visible anomalies in data obtained by Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) deep-sea observatories. This observatory’s sensor network, spanning from the Arctic to Antarctica, has recorded significant fluctuations in the Earth’s magnetic field at depths of up to 2.7 kilometers.

“The range of these data records, many kilometers below the ocean surface, underscores the magnitude of the solar flare and suggests that the data may be useful in better understanding the geographic scale and intensity of these solar storms,” said ONC President and CEO Kate Moran. It was said on May 15. .

ONC’s network includes more than 12,000 sensors, including compasses that measure ocean currents. During intense solar flares in early May, one of the compasses at the NEPTUNE observatory near Vancouver Island shifted between +30 and -30 degrees.

ONC scientific data specialist Alex Slonimer (Alex Slonimer) noted that similar anomalies had been observed before, albeit on a smaller scale, at the end of March. He then checked the data for possible earthquakes but concluded that the changes were related to solar activity.

The resulting data demonstrate the strong influence of solar storms on the Earth’s magnetic field even at significant depths; this could be useful for further investigation of the scale and intensity of these cosmic events.