On Thursday, the world experienced widespread radio blackouts due to an intense wave of solar storms. Scientists are warning that more disruptions are on the horizon.
In the past 24 hours, the sun released at least 15 coronal mass ejections (CMEs), streams of plasma that have caused communication issues in parts of Africa and Asia as they reached Earth.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has tracked these disturbances moving towards the US.
This level of solar activity can disrupt satellite operations, aviation and maritime communications, and GPS systems.
NOAA has indicated that radio blackouts are expected to persist until at least August 4.
This could affect radios, aviation, marine communications, and satellite functions.
On a brighter note, the solar storms might bring spectacular auroras to northern states, including New York.
Recent weeks have seen high solar activity, with 12 active sunspots—cooler areas on the sun’s surface due to significant magnetic field changes.
Sunspots, which are cooler regions on the sun’s surface (though still extremely hot at around 6,500°F), can lead to intense solar flares when their magnetic field lines become tangled and reconfigure.
Active region AR3774 has been the primary source of solar flares, emitting nine streams of energized particles since Wednesday.
NOAA predicts that another stream of plasma is on its way to Earth, which could trigger a geomagnetic storm. This disturbance in Earth’s magnetosphere could affect satellite orbits and lead to additional radio blackouts.
According to NOAA, solar activity will remain elevated through the weekend, with a potential for strong solar flares.
Radio Blackout Levels
Solar flares are measured on an R scale.
An R1 rating indicates minor radio blackouts, while an R2 rating reflects more significant disruptions. On Thursday, affected regions, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and parts of western Africa, experienced R-2 level disturbances.
Future Outlook
In the next 24 hours, there is a 75% chance of M-class flares, which cause brief radio blackouts in Earth’s polar regions, and a 25% chance of X-class flares, which can lead to global radio blackouts.
However, the solar activity could also offer a silver lining with stunning auroras visible in states like Montana, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
In late July, NASA captured a dramatic dark plasma eruption on the sun, highlighting the intense activity currently underway.
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