NASA Jack Eddy Fellow quantifies GPS disruption of 2024 solar storm

Waqar Younas, a NASA Jack Eddy Postdoctoral Fellow, published the results of a new study on a series of powerful solar eruptions in May 2024. 

Younas studies space weather, specifically, solar storms that are precipitated by coronal mass ejections or high speed solar wind events. These storms can impact critical infrastructure such as communications, electric power, aviation and spacecraft operations.

His research quantifies the disruption to global navigation satellites during and after the May 2024 storm, emphasizing the need for better understanding of these solar storms, including software and hardware improvements, to mitigate future interruptions.

The UCAR | Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS) manages the Jack Eddy Fellowship program for NASA that matches early career PhDs with experienced scientists at U.S. research institutions to tackle problems in interdisciplinary heliophysics. 

Research Highlights

Waqar Younas
NASA Jack Eddy Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD Institution: Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad
Host: Yukitoshi Nishimura, Boston University

During the May 2024 superstorm, GPS users across the United States experienced significant disruptions. Some agricultural economists have estimated that these disruptions led to a $500 million loss for the farming community, as autonomous tractors were unable to navigate on May 10-11, 2024.

Our research, published in JGR Space Physics, uncovers the key drivers of ionospheric irregularities that resulted in such severe impacts on navigation systems. The study identifies a steep plasma gradient propagating across the southwestern United States. This structure was accompanied by large irregularities at its equatorward boundary, which aligned with the regions where farmers reported disruptions. 

Additionally, the research highlights the role of extreme auroral precipitation, which intensified these irregularities during local dusk and nighttime hours. A particularly noteworthy finding was the extension of scintillation Effects – GPS signal disruptions – into mid-latitudes, a region traditionally considered less vulnerable to such phenomena. 

These findings emphasize the need to improve our understanding of space weather’s impact on critical infrastructure and develop strategies to mitigate future risks.

Read more about Younas’s research published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics in June 2025.  His study was featured in a story on space.com, “May 2024 solar storm cost $500 million in damages to farmers, new study reveals” and GPS World, “Analysis of geomagnetic storm shows need for mitigation during ionospheric disruptions.”