evidence: The spectacular aurora sparked questions about possible connections to recent experiments by the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP. While HAARP did operate a scientific campaign May 8-10, it had no connection to the solar storm, according to Jessica Matthews, HAARP director. The campaign supported research proposals from the University of Alaska Fairbanks to study mechanisms for the detection of orbiting space debris. "We have been responding to many inquiries from the media and the public," Matthews said. "The HAARP scientific experiments were in no way linked to the solar storm or high auroral activity seen around the globe." The May HAARP campaign was scheduled about a month and a half before the geomagnetic storm. The timing was purely coincidental; geomagnetic storms are unpredictable, with lead times before a solar event is detected from Earth measured in minutes, not months.