CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory has captured the most significant solar flare in years, causing a temporary disruption in radio communication on Earth. The solar event, which occurred on Thursday, unleashed a massive radio burst that affected parts of the U.S. and sunlit regions worldwide for approximately two hours.
According to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this solar flare is the most substantial since 2017. The radio burst was particularly extensive, impacting even higher frequencies and resulting in one of the largest solar radio events ever recorded, as stated by Shawn Dahl of NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center on Friday.
The consequences of this solar activity were felt on Earth, with multiple pilots reporting communication disruptions across the country, according to the space weather forecasting center. Currently, scientists are closely monitoring the sunspot region associated with the flare, analyzing the potential for a coronal mass ejection (CME) or a burst of plasma from the sun directed at Earth. If a CME occurs, it could lead to a geomagnetic storm, disrupting high-frequency radio signals at higher latitudes and potentially triggering northern lights or auroras in the coming days, Dahl explained.
The eruption originated in the far northwest section of the sun, and NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the event in extreme ultraviolet light, showcasing a powerful surge of energy as a massive, bright flash. Launched in 2010, the spacecraft is positioned in an extremely high orbit around Earth, allowing it to continuously monitor solar activity.
As the sun approaches the peak of its approximately 11-year solar cycle, scientists predict maximum sunspot activity for the year 2025. The recent solar flare serves as a reminder of the sun’s dynamic nature and its potential to impact technology and communication systems on Earth. Ongoing monitoring and analysis will help scientists better understand and predict such solar events in the future.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
