2024-04-24 22:12:08
Last Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the cosmos surprised us with an unusual solar spectacle: Four solar flares erupted almost simultaneously from different points on the Sun’s surface.
This rare combination of explosions, captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) of NASAnot only dazzles with its uniqueness, but can also launch a solar storm towards Earth, with possible encounters in the coming days.
More information
Solar flares are basically explosions on the surface of the Sun that release powerful bursts of electromagnetic radiation. They occur when the magnetic energy stored in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released, according to reports Space.com.
Three sunspots and a magnetic filament
On this occasion, according to the SDO, the “quadruple solar flare” took place at 1:00 AM (Eastern North American Time). Of these four outbreaks, three came from sunspots and one from a magnetic filament. The latter is an extensive plume of plasma rising above the solar surface, flanked by dark spots, as described in detail Spaceweather.com.
The four eruptions, although separated by hundreds of thousands of kilometers, They are connected by almost imperceptible magnetic loops in the solar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun. These types of events are called “.“sympathetic solar flares”. The special thing about this case is that there were not a couple of explosions, as usually happens, but a quartet, which elevates it to the “superfine” category, according to Spaceweather.com.
NASA/SDO/AIA/EVE/HMI
Magnify
What can we expect on earth?
It is still uncertain how powerful the combined explosion was, but the dimensions of the sunspots suggest a good probability that “At least some of the remnants reach our planet.”
It is likely a massive cloud of plasma and radiation, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME). If it grazes the Earth’s magnetic field, we could experience a minor G1 class solar storm, with the most likely impact dates of April 25 and 26.
If confirmed, CME can stage a spectacle of northern lights near the magnetic poles. However, it is important to remember that CMEs aimed at our planet can have adverse effects, such as disrupting electrical networks, telecommunications systems and satellites in orbit, as well as exposing astronauts to dangerous doses of radiation.
According to recent research, sympatric solar flares tend to increase near solar maximum, a phase of intense activity that repeats approximately every 11 years. This pattern was highlighted in a 2022 study, which analyzed nearly 40 years of data related to these eruptions. Furthermore, some experts suggest that this cycle of high activity could have already begun, almost a year before previous predictions.
1714007077
#Sun #suffers #rare #super #quadruple #outburst #negative #effects #Earth #suffer