Solar flare causes radio blackout over Indian Ocean

Category
Science & Technology
Published
31st Jan, 2022

Context

In a recent even, the sunspot AR2929 erupted, producing a powerful M5.5-class solar flare, which has been recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in an extreme ultraviolet flash.

During the flare, a pulse of X-rays ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a shortwave radio blackout around the Indian Ocean.

About

What is Solar flare?

A solar flare is a tremendous explosion on the Sun that happens when energy stored in 'twisted' magnetic fields (usually above sunspots) is suddenly released.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

Solar flares are different to 'coronal mass ejections' (CMEs), which were once thought to be initiated by solar flares.
CMEs are huge bubbles of gas threaded with magnetic field lines that are ejected from the Sun over the course of several hours.
Although some are accompanied by flares, it is now known that most CMEs are not associated with flares.

Classification of solar flare

Solar flares are classified into three categories according to their brightness in the x-ray wavelengths.
- X-class flaresare big; they are major events that can trigger radio blackouts around the whole world and long-lasting radiation storms in the upper atmosphere.
- M-class flaresare medium-sized; they generally cause brief radio blackouts that affect Earth's polar regions. Minor radiation storms sometimes follow an M-class flare.
- C-class flares: Compared to X- and M-class events, C-class flares are small with few noticeable consequences here on Earth.