NEW DELHI: Sunspot AR3559 erupted in the early hours of Monday, emitting a powerful M6.7-class solar flare. The extreme ultraviolet flash, captured by Nasa‘s Solar Dynamics Observatory, portrayed the sun’s volatile behavior.
The repercussions of this solar flare were immediate and diverse, with one of the most notable effects being a shortwave radio blackout that swept over Australia, according to EarthSky. Ham radio operators and mariners were particularly affected, as signals below 30 MHz vanished for potentially up to an hour following the flare’s peak, leaving many without communication capabilities.
Despite its position near the sun’s western limb and not directly facing Earth, sunspot AR3559 is magnetically well-connected to the planet. This connection is explained by the concept known as “the Parker Spiral,” which describes how the sun’s magnetic field extends into space in a spiral pattern due to solar rotation, serving as a highway for charged particles.
Energized protons from the flare are now traversing this spiral path toward Earth. Consequently, scientists anticipate the onset of an S1-class radiation storm or stronger within the coming hours. These storms pose risks to astronauts and satellites in orbit, leading to increased radiation exposure and potential damage to sensitive electronic equipment.
This solar flare aligns with the ongoing trend of increasing solar activity as the predicted solar maximum in 2025, part of the 11-year solar cycle, comes nearer. Experts expect events like these to become more frequent in the coming years.
The repercussions of this solar flare were immediate and diverse, with one of the most notable effects being a shortwave radio blackout that swept over Australia, according to EarthSky. Ham radio operators and mariners were particularly affected, as signals below 30 MHz vanished for potentially up to an hour following the flare’s peak, leaving many without communication capabilities.
Despite its position near the sun’s western limb and not directly facing Earth, sunspot AR3559 is magnetically well-connected to the planet. This connection is explained by the concept known as “the Parker Spiral,” which describes how the sun’s magnetic field extends into space in a spiral pattern due to solar rotation, serving as a highway for charged particles.
Energized protons from the flare are now traversing this spiral path toward Earth. Consequently, scientists anticipate the onset of an S1-class radiation storm or stronger within the coming hours. These storms pose risks to astronauts and satellites in orbit, leading to increased radiation exposure and potential damage to sensitive electronic equipment.
This solar flare aligns with the ongoing trend of increasing solar activity as the predicted solar maximum in 2025, part of the 11-year solar cycle, comes nearer. Experts expect events like these to become more frequent in the coming years.
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