Solar Cycle 25 is here, and that means – in the years ahead – more solar flares and more coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. People sometimes use the words interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Here’s the difference. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/is-a-solar-flare-the-same-thing-as-a-cme…
Tag: solar flare
Scientists predicted a large sunspot. Now it’s here
Last week, scientists from the National Solar Observatory predicted a large sunspot would emerge before Thanksgiving. Now the sunspot – AR2786 – is in view. Here’s how they did it. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/nso-predicts-large-sunspot-thanksgiving-nov2020…
Can we predict large solar flares?
Solar storms pose risks for society, but more accurate space weather forecasts may be coming soon. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/can-we-predict-large-solar-flares-kasano-interview…
Researchers offer unprecedented look into ‘central engine’ powering a solar flare
In a study published in Nature Astronomy, an international team of researchers has presented a new, detailed look inside the “central engine” of a large solar flare accompanied by a powerful eruption first captured on Sept. 10, 2017 by the Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA)—a solar radio telescope facility operated by New Jersey Institute of Technology’s (NJIT) Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research…
Measuring the structure of a giant solar flare
The sun’s corona, its hot outermost layer, has a temperature of over a million degrees Kelvin, and produces a wind of charged particles, about one-millionth of the moon’s mass is ejected each year. Transient events have been known to cause large eruptions of high-energy charged particles into space, some of which bombard the Earth, producing auroral glows and occasionally veven disrupting…
Researchers identify role of turbulence for plasmas heating in solar flares
On July 2, The Astrophysical Journal published a numerical study on a solar flare current sheet (CS). Dr. Ye Jing from Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and his collaborators in this study investigated the turbulent radiation features found in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-07-role-turbulence-plasmas-solar-flares.html…
Researchers shed new light on solar flares
Plasma astrophysicists at KU Leuven have created the first self-consistent simulation of the physical processes that occur during a solar flare. The researchers used Flemish supercomputers and a new combination of physical models. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-06-solar-flares.html…
New sunspots potentially herald increased solar activity
On May 29, 2020, a family of sunspots—dark spots that freckle the face of the sun, representing areas of complex magnetic fields—sported the biggest solar flare since October 2017. Although the sunspots are not yet visible (they will soon rotate into view over the left limb of the sun), NASA spacecraft spotted the flares high above them. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-06-sunspots-potentially-herald-solar.html…
Researchers find clues to how hazardous space radiation begins
Scientists at the University of New Hampshire have unlocked one of the mysteries of how particles from flares on the sun accumulate at early stages in the energization of hazardous radiation that is harmful to astronauts, satellites and electronic equipment in space. Using data obtained by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP), researchers observed one of the largest events so far during…
How likely are space super-storms?
A new analysis shows that “severe” space super-storms happened 42 years out of the last 150, and “great” super-storms happened 6 years out of 150. These storms can disrupt modern electronics, aviation and satellite systems and communications. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/how-likely-space-super-storms-solar-flares-carrington-event…