On the afternoon of Tuesday, November 11, residents of Mexico witnessed a rarely seen phenomenon: the Northern Lights, visible in the north of the country, primarily in the municipality of García, Nuevo León.
While the natural spectacle amazed many, scientists from the Institute of Geophysics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) warned that this event has implications beyond the visual, as it is due to intense solar activity that can severely affect communication and geolocation technologies.
“We are facing a severe geomagnetic storm that can generate interference in satellite navigation systems and electrical grids,” the Institute of Geophysics explained in a statement.
Why were the Northern Lights visible in Mexico?
According to specialists, the appearance of auroras so far south in the hemisphere is due to the impact of a massive ejection of solar plasma that struck the Earth’s magnetic field.
This phenomenon compressed the Earth’s magnetosphere, triggering auroras visible in regions where they do not normally appear, from northern Mexico to southern Europe.
Furthermore, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that it was a G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm, caused by an X-class solar flare originating in the AR4274 active region.
The Risks Behind the Spectacle
Although the sight was impressive, experts warn of potential technological disruptions. Among the main risks are:
- Interference with satellites and loss of GPS signal.
Interruptions in radio communications.
Risk of electrical overloads on high-voltage lines. - Temporary failures in internet and telecommunications services.
According to the UNAM statement, some energy and telecommunications companies have already activated contingency protocols in anticipation of possible variations in the electrical grid.
Is there a danger to human health?
NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) clarified that, while solar storms of this magnitude do not pose a direct health risk, they do highlight the vulnerability of technology to the Sun’s energy.
The next 48 hours will be crucial, as space observatories continue to monitor new ejections that could intensify the geomagnetic storm.
Source: Milenio
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