Aditya-L1 Breakthrough: Magnetic Reconnection Explains 'Gannon Storm' Power

• India's Aditya-L1 observatory played a pivotal role in decoding the "Gannon Storm," the strongest solar storm in over two decades (May 2024).
• Aditya-L1's precise magnetic field measurements helped explain why the geomagnetic storm exceeded predicted intensity.
• A breakthrough study revealed the storm's exceptional strength was due to two colliding Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and subsequent magnetic reconnection.
• From its L1 vantage point, Aditya-L1, collaborating with US satellites, mapped a 1.3 million km magnetic reconnection zone inside a CME, a first-time observation.
• This discovery significantly enhances the global understanding of solar storm evolution and improves predictions for powerful space weather events.

Why It Matters: Better solar storm prediction protects Earth's technology.