We’ve discovered the biggest solar radiation storm in seven years. The reason was an old friend
It’s a sunspot in AR 3697 that has already produced several colorful auroras in the past month.
Sunspot AR 3664 has completed a full revolution around the Sun. During this time, it changed its name to AR 3697, but did not weaken in its intensity. After producing some very bright auroras last month, this active region of the Sun could bring us a storm we haven’t seen since 2017.
Since 2017. The solar radiation storm on the 8th was the strongest since September 2017, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center.Space Weather Prediction Center) depends on NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
The storm reached category S3 (“severe”) on a scale of S1 to S5. This level of intensity is associated with some disruptions in satellite operation, such as noise in the resulting images and loss of efficiency of solar panels. It can also pose a risk to astronauts in orbit, as well as passengers and crew during high-altitude flights.
Interestingly, the solar flare (“flare”) that caused this storm was of intermediate intensity, M9.7 on a scale that has four main categories (A, B, C, M and high. We have seen numerous “flares” over the past year » Category X, including an X8.7 flash on May 14.
Solar radiation storms. Solar radiation storms are one of three major interactions between solar phenomena and our planet that we collectively call space weather (the others are radio blackouts and geomagnetic storms). According to NOAA, solar radiation storms are usually associated with magnetic eruptions on the Sun.
These flares often cause coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares. These events involve the accelerated arrival of charged particles from the Sun, mainly protons, traveling at just below the speed of light. Our magnetosphere only has time to deflect these particles towards the poles.
The intensity of these storms is measured based on the density of protons reaching the Earth. The most extreme events (S5) could make spacewalks risky due to radiation and also affect flight passengers. They also have the potential to cause harm Hardware satellites and interrupt communications at high frequencies (HF).
Come back strong. The stain that caused this latest event is an old acquaintance. The sun rotates, like our planet, in the same direction in which the Earth rotates. Because the star is not solid but something like a liquid, its surface rotates at different speeds, but typically it takes about 27 days for sunspots to return to our planet.
The sunspot associated with this storm is the same one that produced the colorful northern lights in May, almost a month before the new storm.
Not all?AR 3697 has likely disappeared or become noticeably weaker. However, as we continue to move towards the peak of solar activity, new spots will take their place.
The 25th solar cycle appears to be more active than expected, although it is not among the most intense in recorded history. It is expected that we will reach peak activity during this year, although it is difficult to say exactly when. As we continue to approach this peak, solar storms and northern lights will become more frequent and also more intense.
In Hatak | Why doesn’t sunlight illuminate the space? Solving the problem of a child being sent to the ISS
Image | Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA