The Earth is bracing for impact by Coronal Mass Ejections tomorrow from the strongest solar flare in the current solar cycle. One Solar Cycle lasts around 11 years. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said Earth hasn't seen an X9-class flare since 2017.
According to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, the solar flare was emitted by the sun on October 3. The solar flare, categorised as 'X-class', is the most powerful type that can erupt from the sun. It was released from Sunspot AR3842 around 8 AM on Thursday.
What Are Solar Flares?
A solar flare is a powerful explosion on the Sun's surface, occurring when magnetic energy accumulated in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released. This release heats material to millions of degrees and emits radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to gamma rays.
Solar flares typically happen in active regions near sunspots and can last from minutes to hours. They are classified into categories based on their intensity, with X-class flares being the most powerful, capable of causing significant disruptions to radio communications on Earth. These events can also lead to coronal mass ejections, which may impact Earth's magnetic field and technology.
"Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth’s atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground. However — when intense enough — they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS & communications signals travel," NASA said.
Earth Braces For CME Impact
The solar flare eruption on October 3 sent a surge of radiation toward Earth, penetrating the planet's magnetic shield (magnetosphere) and ionizing the upper atmosphere, leading to a temporary radio blackout over parts of Africa and the South Atlantic Ocean, reported Live Science. It released a coronal mass ejection (CME). CME is described as a cloud of fast-moving plasma and solar particles. The CME is expected to strike Earth on Sunday, October 6, according to Spaceweather.com.
Earlier, on Monday (Oct. 1), the same sunspot triggered a powerful X7.1 flare, now ranked as the third strongest in this solar cycle. This event caused a similar radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean and launched another CME toward Earth.
What Is CME And What Is Its Effect On Earth?
A CME is a massive release of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's corona, often occurring during periods of increased solar activity. CMEs can eject billions of tonnes of solar material into space. These particles can travel at whopping speeds of 250 kmps to 3000 kmps. CMEs on Earth-bound trajectories can reach the planet in as little as 15-18 hours.
When a CME interacts with Earth's magnetosphere (the space surrounding Earth where its magnetic field dominates, influencing charged particles from the solar wind), it can trigger geomagnetic storms. Such events have the potential to disrupt communication systems, navigation satellites, and even power grids. The most famous example is the Carrington Event of 1859, which caused widespread telegraph failures and spectacular auroras visible in tropical regions.
CMEs can also enhance auroral displays, as charged particles from the CME collide with Earth's magnetic field, creating vivid light shows near the poles. However, if the magnetic field of the CME is oriented unfavourably relative to Earth's magnetic field, it can lead to more severe disturbances.
More Solar Flares On October 5?
Three sunspots have unstable 'delta-class' magnetic fields could release strong solar flares on Saturday as well. There is a 25% chance of the sun releasing an 'X-class' solar flare on Saturday and a 75 % chance of an 'M-class' solar flare, which is the second-strongest type.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that two CMEs are currently on their way to Earth.