C-class flares are slight and have little effect on the Earth.Īlso read: Recent strong solar flare can hamper satellite communication Sometimes an M-class flare is followed by small radiation storms. Medium-sized M-class flares typically result in brief radio blackouts that affect the Earth’s polar regions. Solar flares can be divided into various categories based on their brightness in X-ray wavelengths. X-class flares are large, significant events that have the power to cause global radio blackouts and persistent radiation storms in the upper atmosphere. They can heat a substance to several millions of degrees in a matter of minutes, producing a burst of radiation that spans the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to x-rays and gamma rays. Solar flares are large energy explosions that can affect radio communications, power grids and navigation signals and endanger astronauts and spacecraft. There are five different classes of solar flares: A, B, C, M, and X each class is at least ten times more potent than the one before it. The sunspot reached its maximum size on June 29, generated a significant M-class flare, and then was calm until July 2, when it unleashed an X-class flare that was directly targeted at Earth, the report added. The sudden appearance of the massive sunspot frightened space weather experts, who feared it might unleash a flurry of potentially dangerous solar storms, reported website. Within 48 hours, it had expanded to a size roughly equivalent to 3.5 billion square kilometres, or 10 times the size of Earth. On June 27, a sunspot - a huge dark patch - known as AR3354 appeared on the solar surface. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. The flare, classified as an X1.0 flare, peaked at 7:14 pm ET, confirmed US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in a press note released on July 3.Īlso read: Does space weather cause flight delays? New study spots links The Sun emitted an X-class solar flare on July 2, 2023, disrupting radio communications over parts of the United States and the Pacific Ocean, according to media reports.Ī solar flare is a tremendous explosion on the Sun that happens when energy stored in ‘twisted’ magnetic fields (usually above sunspots) is suddenly released, according to the European Space Agency.
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