Electric Charge Carriers In Motion:

When the atoms in a ferromagnetic material are associated, a magnetic field exists. A magnetic field can also be caused by the motion of electric charge carriers either in a wire or in free space.

The magnetic field about a permanent magnet occurs from similar cause as the field around a wire which carries an electric current. The responsible factor in either situation is the motion of electrically charged particles. In a wire, the electrons move all along the conductor, been passed from atom to atom. In a permanent magnet, movement of orbiting electrons takes place in such a manner that an "effective current" is generated by the way the electrons move inside the individual atoms.

Magnetic fields can be generated by the motion of charged particles via space. The Sun is continually ejecting protons and helium nuclei. Such particles carry a positive electric charge. As of this, they generate "effective currents" as they travel via space. Such currents in return produce magnetic fields. Whenever these fields interact with the Earth's geomagnetic field, and the particles are forced to change direction, and they are accelerated in the direction of the geomagnetic poles.

When there is an eruption on the Sun known as a solar flare, the Sun emits more charged particles than normal. Whenever these arrive at the Earth's geomagnetic poles, their magnetic fields, jointly working altogether, can disrupt the Earth's geomagnetic field. Then there is a geomagnetic storm. Like an event causes changes in the Earth's ionosphere, affecting long-distant radio communications at certain frequencies. When the fluctuations are intense sufficient, even wire communications and electrical power transmission can be interfered with. The Microwave transmissions normally are immune to the effects of geomagnetic storms. Fiber-optic cable links and free-space laser communications are not affected. The auroras (northern or southern lights) are often noticed at night during the geomagnetic storms.