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Abstract: A retrospective analysis of the Russian magnetic observations of the Carrington event that occurred on September 2–3, 1859, has been performed. The conclusion has been made that this event was caused by the series of three recurrent eruptive solar flares during ∼40 h. The characteristics of the geomagnetic crochet, related to a considerable flux of the ionizing electromagnetic radiation during this flare, have been studied. The value and direction of a magnetic field disturbance, registered during the maximum of the geomagnetic storm of September 2, unambiguously indicate that all Russian stations were in the auroral oval zone, which was strongly expanded southward from its average position. The disturbance dependence on the station longitude—the absence of magnetometer pinning in Nerchinsk—is interpreted as the possible manifestation of a strong asymmetry in the effective contour of the current system, which was connected to the heliosphere and covered the disturbed magnetosphere and ionosphere during the short period that lasted only 1–3 h.

Abstract: Based on an analysis of the available archived data from the Russian network of geomagnetic stations, it has been indicated that the known event of August–September 1859 was the first and the greatest event in the series of the recurrent geomagnetic storms. Similar series were repeatedly observed in the next years. These series are caused by the processes on the Sun and in the heliosphere related to the superposition of the solar wind flows. The sporadic and regular components in joint activity of the complex, including active regions and coronal holes on the rotating Sun, play the role of the Bartels M regions responsible for initiation and development of geomagnetic storms. Neither coronal holes nor active regions can separately explain observations. During interpretation, active regions and coronal holes should be considered as a unified complex.

Abstract: Geomagnetic variations generate electric currents in long conductors such as high-voltage lines, pipelines, and telecoms cables. The aim of our work is to study the possible effect of geomagnetic disturbances on the operation of automated systems and telemechanics of a midlatitude railroad based on the data on the malfunctions and breakdowns registered in 2004 on the East Siberian railroad (VSZhD). It has been obtained that the total daily duration of malfunctions and breakdowns (T) during disturbed periods is controlled by geomagnetic activity. When a peak of geomagnetic activity is reached during a storm, T increases about three times. Moreover, a correlation between T and the local index of geomagnetic activity (A), measured at Podkamennaya Tunguska Siberian observatory, is high during disturbed periods. Specifically, the correlation coefficient (K) is equal to 0.83 and 0.71 for the strongest two storms of 2004 that occurred in July 17–August 2 and November 4–18, respectively.

Comet outburst activity and the structure of solar wind streams were compared on the basis of Pioneer 10, 11, Vela 3 and IMP 7, 8 measurements at the heliocentric distance r≈ 1–6 AU. It is shown that the solar wind velocity waves which are evolving into corotating shock waves beyond the Earth orbit may be responsible for comet outburst activity. The correlation between variations of comet outburst activity with heliocentric distance and the behavior of the solar wind velocity waves is established. The closeness of the characteristic times for the velocity waves and comet outburst activity (7–8 days at r= 1 AU) as well as the simultaneous growth of both the characteristic times with rare noted. The observed distribution of the comet outburst activity parameters during the 11-year cycle is also in good agreement with the phase distributions during the 11-year cycle of variations of the coronal hole areas and the rate of change of the sunspot area δSp.