Solar flares often disrupt Earth's upper atmosphere and contribute to spectacular auroras. Now, scientists say these same bursts of solar energy may also be responsible for triggering earthquakes.
See also: The strongest solar flare of 2025 affects Europe and Asia
When a solar flare heads toward our planet, it can cause subtle rearrangements in the charged particles in the ionosphere, the region of the upper atmosphere filled with electrically charged gas. In a new study, researchers suggest that these changes may slightly affect the electrical forces in the Earth's crust and, by extension, the stability of faults where earthquakes can occur.
If this connection is proven, then space weather phenomena could be linked to seismic hazard in a way that has not been considered until now. However, other scientists point out that the model used in the study — published February 3 in the International Journal of Plasma Environmental Science and Technology— is oversimplified and that real-world geological conditions likely limit the effect to almost zero.
Our planet is permeated with naturally generated electricity. Particularly in the cracks in the Earth's crust that are under intense pressure, there are pockets of water at such high temperatures and pressures that it is neither liquid nor gas. This supercritical fluid is full of charged ions, causing the cracks to act like capacitors, storing electrical energy.
See also: Colossal solar flare returns and creates auroras on Earth
These same cracks, or faults, are key earthquake zones, as this is where tectonic plates meet and move, accumulating mechanical energy that can be released in the form of vibration.
In the new study, the researchers developed a model that treats the Earth's crust and the ionosphere — a charged layer about 402 kilometers above the surface — as the two ends of a huge "leaky" battery.
They then connected the crustal “capacitor” to the ionosphere via an electric field. According to their model, when electrically charged particles from a solar flare reach Earth, they push electrons in the ionosphere to lower altitudes, where they accumulate to form a layer of negative charge. This charge increases the electrostatic force exerted on the charges in the Earth’s crust, causing changes in pressure. The researchers argue that these changes are comparable to other forces that affect the stability of faults, such as gravity or tides.
See also: Discover the wild beauty of the sun through a new timelapse
Simply put, the strengthening of the electrostatic force in the crust translates into greater pressure on the surrounding rocks, which could "push" a fault to move and cause an earthquake.
