Solar Flare Causes Radio Blackouts on Earth, NASA Captures Image
The sun emitted a solar flare this week that was strong enough to cause radio blackouts on Earth — and it reportedly did. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured an image of the event, which showed a bright flash in the top right area of the sun. The flare was classified as an X1.0 flare, the most intense class of flares.
The flare peaked at 7:14 p.m. Eastern Time on July 2, erupting from a sunspot that is seven times the width of Earth, according to Space.com. Such flares disrupt radio signals, resulting in radio blackouts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center reported that radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth’s atmosphere, causing a “deep shortwave radio blackout over western parts of the U.S. and the Pacific Ocean.” The blackout lasted about 30 minutes.
NOAA classifies radio blackouts using a five-level scale ranging from “minor” to “extreme.” X-class flares can cause either “strong” or “severe” disruptions.
Solar flares are formed when magnetic fields around sunspots become tangled, break, and then reconnect. In some cases, plumes of plasma can also be part of the process. Solar activity like these flares has increased in recent months. The sun has been in Solar Cycle 25 since 2019, and researchers have found that the cycle has “ramped up much faster” than originally predicted.
It’s possible that solar flares could continue to have an impact on radio and internet communications, as well as disrupting satellite and radio navigation systems. This event serves as a reminder of the sun’s powerful influence on Earth’s technology and communication infrastructure.
Overall, scientists and researchers will continue to monitor solar activity and work towards developing strategies to mitigate the impact of solar flares on our daily lives.