Powerful solar flares may affect Earth on Monday, disrupting communications, Russian scientists have warned. Three flares were observed on July 16, 2023, the scientists said, news agency Reuters reported. X flares, including proton flares, are possible and these may disrupt short-wave communications, the Fedorov Institute of Applied Geophysics in Moscow has said. 


When the overlap of magnetic field lines near sunspots (regions on the Sun cooler than other parts on the surface) results in a sudden explosion of energy, solar flares occur. X flares are the strongest flares. On the basis of strength, flares are classified as B, C, M and X, with X being 10 times stronger than M, and 100 times stronger than C. 


Proton flares are the X-class flares in which high-energy protons are ejected into space. 


According to NASA, solar flares can create disruptions with signal transmission by altering the upper atmosphere. For instance, GPS satellites could be affected. 


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One of the solar flares observed on July 16 lasted 14 minutes, and disrupted radio communication, the Fedorov Institute said.


On March 31, 2023, a solar storm caused by a hole in the Sun's atmosphere hit Earth. The coronal hole was 20 to 30 times the size of Earth. 


On March 24, Earth was hit by the most powerful solar storm in nearly six years. This was a severe G4 geomagnetic storm. A G4 geomagnetic storm is one which can disrupt power systems and spacecraft disruptions. A geomagnetic storm is one which occurs as a result of a major disturbance of Earth's atmosphere due to a very efficient energy exchange from the solar wind to the space environment surrounding Earth.


A January 2023 study published in The Astrophysical Journal found that flashes on the Sun can help predict solar flares and space weather storms. The scientists, who are from NorthWest Research Associates, or NWRA, used data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory to identify small signals in the upper layers of the solar atmosphere. These signals can help identify the regions on the Sun more likely to produce flares.