It is a phenomenon caused by disturbances in the earth’s magnetic field. It gives rise to spurious currents in submarine cables and interferes with radio communication. The disturbance in earth’s magnetic field is caused by the sudden short-lived brightening of the sun’s surface called solar flare.
A continuous flow of charged particles emanating from the sun reaches earth. On striking earth some of these are captured by the earth’s magnetic field as causing disturbance in it. Magnetic storms cause disturbance in the uppermost region of earth’s atmosphere thus interfering with radio communication. Magnetic storms are accompanied by emission of intense and colourful lights called ‘auroras’ seen in the Polar Regions during winters.
