Solar flares are energetic events that occur on the sun when powerful eruptions of electrons, atoms, and ions are discharged into space. They can be associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME) or magnetic storm that travels through space.
This burst of radiation may be directed at Earth, taking a few days to reach our planet, where it may cause significant interference to our telecommunications infrastructure, depending on its size.
Strong flares can damage satellites, power grids, and interfere with radars which might cause air traffic problems.
This is why scientists at NASA keep a close eye on the sun through using a helio-physics fleet of spacecraft.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other agencies can mitigate damage by watching space weather to predict storms, for example by putting satellites in ’safe mode.’
Approximately every 11 years, the sun goes through a solar cycle during which its level of magnetic activity fluctuates. Each cycle, the sun reaches a maximum when solar flares become more common and powerful, increasing the probability of a large flare that might affect Earth.
During this period, the sun may exhibit sunspots, which are areas that undergo intense magnetic activity and are usually associated with flares.
When magnetic fields around the sun cross over each other and reconnect in a lower arcade, as seen in this video, they release an explosion of energy and particles that may form a CME.
Solar flares are categorized according to their intensity: B, C, M, and X. Each level represents a ten-fold increase in energy eruption and within each class is a finer level of gradation from 1 to 9.
X-class flares having the potential to cause worldwide blackouts and global transmission problems and can go above 9 in intensity, for example a major X-class flare in 2003 was estimated to be X-45.
Solar flares are not unique to the sun; they also occur on other stars but are referred to as stellar flares.
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