Their analysis produced the first tomographic map of its kind, revealing atmospheric density patterns roughly 482 kilometers (300 miles) above Earth. That effect becomes more intense when solar activity heats and expands the upper atmosphere. Geomagnetic storms can rapidly increase atmospheric density at satellite altitudes, altering predicted orbits and raising the difficulty of collision avoidance. More than 99 percent of the upper atmosphere consists of electrically neutral gas in this region. Reference: “Tomography of thermospheric density from Starlink Ephemeris: initial report” by Mamoru Yamamoto, 30 July 2026, Earth, Planets and Space.