Equatorial Bubbles: GPS might go haywire

SPACEWEATHER.COM NEWS: 07/24/2025

EQUATORIAL PLASMA BUBBLES ARE COMING FOR YOUR GPS: Earth’s ionosphere is a bit like Swiss cheese. It contains holes called “equatorial plasma bubbles.” If any of these bubbles drift across your sky–grip the steering wheel–your GPS might go haywire.

That’s exactly what happened during a geomagnetic storm in March 2023. A new study published in the research journal Space Weather recounts how  GPS radio signals began to rapidly flicker, akin to the twinkling of a star, causing positioning errors across a wide swath of the Americas.

 

“This is the most intense event we have analyzed,” says Fabiano Rodrigues, a physics professor at the University of Texas at Dallas and one of the paper’s lead authors. “It produced extremely intense disruptions at low latitudes for more than 10 hours and was even detectable by our mid-latitude sensor in Dallas (UTD in the diagram below), which is unusual.”

Completely surrounding Earth, the ionosphere is a shell of ionized gas created by the sun. Solar ultraviolet radiation ionizes air near the edge of space, creating a dynamic layer of plasma that varies with solar activity, time of day, and latitude. The ionosphere plays a critical role in GPS systems by reflecting or distorting radio waves passing through it.

When the sun sets, the ionosphere becomes unstable. This happens because the sun’s ionizing radiation suddenly disappears. A Rayleigh–Taylor instability takes hold, and bubbles of low-density plasma begin to rise, much like blobs in a lava lamp. These structures are especially common near the magnetic equator, where electric and magnetic fields enhance the effect. That’s why they’re called equatorial plasma bubbles.

The March 23-24, 2023, event was remarkable because the bubbles were so widespread. They are normally confined within +/- 20  degrees of the magnetic equator, but during this storm, they spread at least twice as far, affecting population centers at middle latitudes.

Savvy readers may wonder if something similar happened during the Great Geomagnetic Storm of May 2024. After all, that was the biggest geomagnetic storm in decades (G5+), far more intense than the March 2023 storm (G4). The answer, surprisingly, seems to be “no.” The same sensors were running during both storms, yet only the lesser storm produced extraordinary scintillation.

“This is an example of how the ionosphere can respond differently to different magnetic storms,” says Rodrigues. “We still have a lot to learn.”

Do It Yourself: Rodrigues’s team monitors equatorial plasma bubbles using a low-cost sensor called ScintPi, based on the Raspberry Pi computer. You can build one yourself. Hobbyists are using them to observe geomagnetic storms and even solar eclipses.

A CME IS COMING: But it’s not a big one. The sun launched the CME toward Earth on July 23rd, propelled by an erupting filament of magnetism near disk center. Although it is faint, the CME could still cause a G1-class geomagnetic storm when it arrives on July 27th. 

DAILY SUN: 07/24/2025

All earth-facing sunspots are currently stable. Strong solar flares are unlikely today. 

Earth is still inside the stream of solar winds from the coronal hole.

INTERSTELLAR COMET ATLAS: Three weeks after it was discovered, interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS is still eluding many amateur astronomers. This video from astrophotographer Michael Jaeger shows why finding it is tricky:

 

 

“It’s surrounded by so many stars,” explains Jaeger. The comet is gliding through the crowded Milky Way in Ophiuchus, where finding it is like playing a game of Where’s Waldo. “The comet itself appears almost stellar and the brightness is only 17th magnitude.”

The situation will approve in the months ahead as the comet exits the Milky Way and approaches Earth for a better view. Stay tuned!

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Mayan Calendar Time – Ascension

Today is the Ascension of the trecena of Transformer/CIMI, representing the Sign of a Major Life Change on a scale of “life and death.” CIMI is the Comforter, a symbol of the Holy Spirit. CIMI holds the Destiny of the midwife and hospice nurse that never leaves our side. CIMI shares the Gift of Clairvoyance to see the future. It’s a matter of vigilant consciousness. The midwife/hospice nurse watches every breath and knows “what comes after” and knows just what to do. It’s time for the Vigilant Faith to leave everything in God’s hands.

13 Flint/ETZNAB brings the unexpected hidden truth to light. It’s a time for reflection and retrospection. Flint can tempt us to act out of character… and the Spring Tides can stir our emotions. Power lies in Silence. Words spoken on impulse will never be forgotten. Things cool down as we reach late afternoon or early sunset, when we are likely to recognize the unexpected Truth of a matter that’s been weighing on our mind.

See the Full Moon forecast for details on today’s New Moon in Leo, including the tradition of the “Hungry Ghost Moon.” Shadows could be lurking all month. Bless your home and bar entrance to anyone who doesn’t belong. Look for your own shadow, and claim your Faith in the Holy Spirit and Archangel Michael to escort it away. The Truth brought to light today, will sweep the way clear for the future.

NOTE: Everyone is affected by this impulsive energy. People may be on the edge of going haywire. Stay close to home and offer forbearance. Let someone else rule the road. We completed a 4-day ceremony of Silence just in Time to remember.

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ASCENDING THE TRECENA OF TRANSFORMER/CIMI: A MAJOR LIFE CHANGE
MAYAN CALENDAR DAYKEEPER’S JOURNAL
13 Flint/ETZNAB (Cherokee, Flint/DAWI’SGALA), Destiny Kin 78, Position 18
July 24, 2025, 07/24/2025; Rounds Before: 11/6/2024, 02/20/2024

TRECENA OF TRANSFORMER/CIMI: Transition from Death to a New Life

[Text in italics was the primary source of inspiration for my journal. These are the sources that started my journey and they are the reference for interpretation each day. By providing the original text, I hope to offer a way to see what inspired my thoughts and by including all the aspects – allow for something more to inspire you. Mayan descriptions are those written by Ian Lungold. Cherokee descriptions came from multiple sources. Links to sources and other resources of study are offered on the Daykeeper Resources Page. ~Debra]