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Earth had new, temporary radiation rings last year

Formed after a solar superstorm, the belts lasted longer than scientists expected

An illustration of the Earth on a space background with two lobes of colors extending on either side of the globe.

The May 2024 solar storm made two new radiation belts (purple) that slotted in between the permanent Van Allen belts (other colors) around Earth.

Kristen Perrin/Goddard Space Flight Center/NASA

By Lisa Grossman

On May 10, 2024, the strongest solar storm in 20 years sparked auroras on Earth that were visible as far south as Florida. It also created two new bands of radiation around the planet, researchers report in the February JGR Space Physics.