The March 24 Geomagnetic Storm was also detected by our cosmic ray detector Mirya-M1.
After being designed and built in collaboration between the Department of Astronomy and Space Sciences and the Department of Physics at Istanbul University Faculty of Science, our Mirya-M1 Muon Detector was installed at the Erzurum campus of the Turkey National Observatory. Subsequently, on March 24, 2024, it successfully detected the Geomagnetic Storm.
A complex eruption occurred in the solar atmosphere on Saturday, March 23, 2024, reaching its peak at 01:33 UTC. The associated solar flare originated in sunspot region 3614 and peaked at a maximum of X1.1 (R3-strong) level. This region is a notable sunspot area situated north of sunspot region 3615, seen centrally in the sunspot drawing provided. We can characterize this intense eruption as complex due to the simultaneous eruption of sunspot region 3615. However, observations indicate that the flare originating from sunspot region 3614 and its associated material ejection were more potent.
During the eruption, an impressive asymmetric full halo coronal mass ejection (CME) occurred. While a significant portion of the CME progressed northward, a portion of the resulting coronal mass ejection reached Earth on Sunday, March 24, causing a G4-level geomagnetic storm.
Following the X-class flare, 11 additional flares of M-class intensity were observed from sunspot region 3615 on the same day. Sunspot region 3615 continues to be a highly complex sunspot region, and further X-class flares are anticipated. It is essential to continue monitoring this sunspot region!
The effects of the G4 level geomagnetic storm were observed at the Turkey National Observatory site in Erzurum, where our Mirya-M1 muon detector also detected a Forbush decrease. As shown in the figure below, a decrease in the flux of cosmic rays, resulting from the influence of high-energy particles from the Sun, was observed simultaneously by various neutron monitors on Earth. Real-time data from the Mirya-M1 detector is available at http://ist60.istanbul.edu.tr/mirya/.
Project Team: Prof. Dr. Tolga Güver, Prof. Dr. Suat Özkorucuklu, Prof. Dr. Blanco Ávalos Juan José (Universidad de Alcalá), Prof. Dr. Cahit Yeşilyaprak (Turkey National Observatory, Atatürk University), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Z. Funda Bostancı Güver, Dr. Güray Gürkan, Dr. Ahmet Polatoğlu (Atatürk University), Dr. Ayuso de Gregorio Sindulfo (Universidad de Alcalá), Dr. Fuat Korhan Yelkenci, Master's Student Meryem Kübra Dağ, Master's Student Beste Begiçarslan, Master's Student Mustafa Turan Sağlam, Undergraduate Student Ecem Aktaş, Undergraduate Student Kutay Parçal