A series of violent solar events will impact Earth, potentially triggering significant geomagnetic storms in the next few days.
Three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are currently on their way to our planet. The first two were triggered by M-class solar flares on August 7. These first CMEs are relatively weak, but the third CMEs, triggered by a class X1.3 solar flare on August 8, are far more violent.
THREE MAJOR OUTBREAKS
A coronal mass ejection is a massive eruption of solar wind and magnetic fields above the sun’s corona. These eruptions release billions of tons of plasma into space, potentially impacting Earth’s magnetosphere and causing disruptions to satellites, communications, and power grids.
The class X1.3 outburst, which originated from the active sunspot AR3777, produced an extreme ultraviolet flash captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory.
This eruption ionized the Earth’s upper atmosphere and caused a shortwave radio blackout that affected areas from North America to the Hawaiian Islands, disrupting signals below 30 MHz for up to an hour.
Following the eruption, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) recorded a coronal mass ejection (CME) heading directly toward Earth at a speed of over 1,000 km/s.
GEOMAGNETIC STORM WILL HIT EARTH
This coronal mass ejection is expected to arrive on August 11 and will amplify the effects of the previous coronal mass ejections. The combined effect of these solar events could raise the geomagnetic storms to category G3 (strong), potentially triggering mid-latitude auroras visible in the United States and Europe.
A geomagnetic storm occurs when a coronal mass ejection or solar wind disrupts the Earth’s magnetic field. This can result in beautiful auroras, but can also disrupt GPS, radio communications, and power grids. The intensity of these storms depends on the strength and direction of the solar wind’s magnetic field.
The upcoming storms are expected to create optimal conditions for the auroras, which could then be visible much further from the poles than usual.
WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
The sunspot AR3777, which is responsible for the X1.3 class radiation burst, is currently one of the most active regions on the Sun.
Its continued activity highlights increasing solar activity as we approach solar maximum, the peak of the Sun’s 11-year cycle. This period is characterized by increased solar activity, including more frequent and intense solar flares and coronal mass eruptions.
As these solar particles make their way to Earth, space weather experts are closely monitoring the situation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a geomagnetic storm warning and is calling for people to prepare for potential impacts on technological infrastructure.
Seafarers, radio amateurs and all those who rely on satellite-based systems should always stay informed and take the necessary precautions.
In May, the Earth was hit by a relentless solar storm that triggered auroras as far away as India and put enormous pressure on satellites.
