Solar Storm Determined to Have Disrupted GPS Signals Across the US
A severe solar storm that occurred in November 2025 caused disruptions in GPS signals and major positioning errors across the United States.
It has been determined that the severe solar storm affecting Earth in November 2025 caused widespread disruptions in GPS signals and positioning errors exceeding 10 meters across the United States.
Details of the Research
Research led by The Aerospace Corporation in the US revealed that after charged particles emitted from the Sun reached Earth's magnetic field, unprecedented disruptions occurred in the upper layers of the atmosphere.
Positioning Errors
Researchers reported that this situation affected GPS signals from one end of the US to the other, and in some regions, the positioning error exceeded 10 meters.
Atmospheric Effects
It was stated that irregularities forming in the ionosphere in Earth's upper atmosphere during solar storms cause GPS and other satellite signals to be disrupted.
The study noted that strong signal disruptions were also detected in mid-latitudes where such effects are normally limited, and that a situation of this scale had not been observed before.
Impact on Sensitive Technologies
Even a few meters of error in GPS can cause serious problems for technologies requiring precise positioning, such as autonomous vehicles and agricultural machinery.
Recommendations for the Future
Scientists stated that by better understanding and predicting the effects of extreme solar activity on the ionosphere, the negative impacts of major storms that may occur in the future on technological systems can be mitigated.