美国国家海洋和大气管理局(NOAA)下属的空间天气预测中心(SWPC)报告观察到“极端”级别的G5状况，并已向关键基础设施运营者发出警示。

一场剧烈的地磁风暴正席卷地球，预警称电力及通信网络可能出现故障。NOAA的SWPC自2005年以来首次发布G4级别严重的地磁风暴警报，标志着空间天气事件的重大升级。

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此次警报源于太阳活动的显著增强，包括近期频繁观测到的太阳黑子群及耀斑爆发。         Ground-based infrared telescope installed at Saishiteng Mountain, Lenghu township, Northwest China's Qinghai Province Photo: Screenshot from gdstc.gd.gov.cn
Chinese scientists on Wednesday released the first complete set of observational images captured by China's new-generation ground-based infrared telescope, filling a gap in the country's near-infrared astronomical observation capabilities and reducing reliance on foreign infrared detector technology, China News Service reported on Wednesday. 
The 80-centimeter near-infrared telescope was installed at Saishiteng Mountain, Lenghu township, Northwest China's Qinghai Province in October 2024. Jointly developed by Sun Yat-sen University and several partner institutions, the telescope is China's first to achieve scientific imaging in the 1.2-micrometer J band and 2.2-micrometer K band using domestically developed scientific-grade InGaAs and HgCdTe detectors. 
The telescope enables unattended remote operations, and can lock onto any target in the sky within 15 seconds. Its infrared capability allows it to see through interstellar dust, enabling it to observe cold and distant celestial objects that are difficult for optical telescopes to capture. 
According to Ma Bin, a professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy, Sun Yat-sen University who led the research team that released the infrared telescope's observational images, all three of the telescope's core astronomical observation capabilities were fully validated during operation. 
It rapidly responded to and tracked multiple gamma-ray bursts and supernova events, recording the evolution of their infrared afterglows following the explosions. It continuously monitored brown dwarfs, precisely capturing periodic variations in their atmospheric brightness. Using image-stacking technology, it also observed active galaxies billions of light-years away. 
Since its deployment in Lenghu, the system has supported infrared observations for more than 10 Chinese research institutions, accumulating valuable experience for the construction of future large-scale infrared telescopes. 
Lenghu township, where the world-class astronomical observation base takes shape, is hailed as "the most Mars-like place on the Earth." The astronomical observation base was said to be an astronomical observation site comparable to the top ones in the world by a Nature article published on August 18, 2021, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 
Once prospered in 1950s due to its rich petroleum resources, Lenghu is now becoming a premier astronomical observation site and Mars-themed tourist destination, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Global Times
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引发此番空间天气事件的源头，是一个编号为NOM区域3664的巨大太阳黑子群，其体积达到地球直径的17倍之巨。这个磁性庞然大物已多次释放高强度太阳耀斑，引起太空气象学家的高度关注。

尽管可能遭遇服务中断，此前所未有的事件也为北美北部居民带来了一线奇观——绚丽的极光有望现身，其壮观景象或从阿拉巴马州延伸至加州北部，直至周末。

据SWPC网站报道，至少五起与上述耀斑相关的地球导向日冕物质抛射(CME)预计将于2024年5月10日中午抵达地球，并持续影响至5月12日。

“极端G5状况于美国东部时间下午5:54抵达地球，”SWPC指出，“地磁风暴可能延续至周末，因其他若干CME仍在穿越地球。”

日冕物质抛射本质上是太阳日冕中的等离子体及磁场爆发，当它们直接冲击地球时，构成严峻挑战。

SWPC进一步警告，预计该区域还将发生更多活跃事件。尽管潜在的干扰，这次独特事件却为北美北部的天空带来了观赏极光的绝佳机会，这一自然奇景预计将跨越广泛地域，从美国南部的阿拉巴马州一直延展至加州北部，直至周日期间。

专家警告，此次地磁风暴的影响范围广泛且深刻。电力系统面临广泛的电压调控难题，可能导致电网中断风险增加；航天器操作亦面临严峻考验，预期会出现表面充电、追踪困难及需紧急调整轨道的问题。

此外，感应电流可能干扰输油管道保护系统，高频无线电通讯可能变得不稳定，卫星导航功能预计将暂时降低，而低频无线电导航服务则可能完全中断数小时。