ionospheric storms

Ionospheric storms are temporary disturbances in the Earth's ionosphere, caused mainly by solar activity like solar flares or coronal mass ejections. These events send charged particles towards Earth, altering the ionosphere's density and composition. As a result, radio communication, GPS signals, and satellite operations can experience disruptions, signal fades, or inaccuracies. These storms can last from hours to days and vary in intensity, often correlating with solar activity cycles. Understanding ionospheric storms is important for maintaining reliable communication and navigation systems that depend on signals passing through or reflecting off this layer of Earth's atmosphere.