A series of explosions in the Sol might lead to a solar storm “cannibal” heading towards the Tierra.
In recent days, the Sun experienced two coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, during which particles blasted from its surface.
They are now headed toward Earth, where they might cause disruptions to satellites and other important systems, space weather experts have warned.
And as they head towards us, together, they might cannibalize each other to become an even more powerful explosion. This type of cannibalism occurs when a CME is thrown from the Sun and is followed by another more energetic and faster explosion, which consumes it.
The couple is expected to arrive on Earth on Thursday or Friday.
There is a possibility that they might cause a class G3 geomagnetic storm, which is described as a “strong” storm. These types of events are classified on a scale that goes from G1 to G5, and the latter includes widespread problems in power systems and communications outages.
However, in the worst case, solar storms this week are only expected to reach the G3 level. This might cause minor problems with some power systems, impacts on satellites, and problems with navigation systems.
It might also mean that the auroras or northern lights are visible much farther south than usual. The activity means the lights might be visible in the sky over northern England or New York, according to the Met Office.
The Sun is still in a particularly active period, and observers suggest that the next few days might bring “high” levels of solar activity. This, in turn, might lead to more flares coming from the Sun.