Sub-sea observatories deployed as deep as 2.7 kilometres under the oceanB次元官网网址檚 surface were triggered by the aurora borealis on May 10.

The findings were discovered by Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), a University of Victoria initiative after compasses deep in the ocean were activated.

B次元官网网址淭he reach of these data recordings kilometres under the ocean surface highlights the magnitude of the solar flare over the past weekend,B次元官网网址� ONC president and chief executive officer Kate Moran said in a news release.

These solar storm magnetic disturbances were discovered during data quality control checks. ONC primarily uses compasses to orient its instruments, which measure ocean currents.

B次元官网网址淚 looked into whether it was potentially an earthquake, but that didnB次元官网网址檛 make a lot of sense because the changes in the data were lasting for too long and concurrently at different locations,B次元官网网址� said Alex Slonimer, a scientific data specialist at ONC. B次元官网网址淭hen, I looked into whether it was a solar flare as the sun has been active recently.B次元官网网址�

The weekendB次元官网网址檚 much larger solar event reinforced the observation, Sionmier said, with the peaks in the compass headings closely correlated to the peaks in the visible activity in the aurora.

ONC operates observatories in the deep ocean coastal waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic coasts of Canada and the Southern Ocean.

The cabled observatories supply continuous power and internet connectivity to scientific instruments, cameras and 12,000-plus ocean sensors.

Justin Albert, professor of physics with UVicB次元官网网址檚 Department of Physics and Astronomy, welcomes the new subsea geomagnetic detections.

B次元官网网址淥NCB次元官网网址檚 network might provide a very helpful additional window into the effects of solar activity on the EarthB次元官网网址檚 terrestrial magnetism,B次元官网网址� Albert said.

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