"NOAA Warning": Strong solar storm event will cause auroras and disruptions today
On Thursday afternoon, an extraordinary solar event unfolded as the sun unleashed its most powerful solar flare in over six years, resulting in widespread radio blackouts, especially across South America. This significant flare, classified as an X2.8, where ‘X’ indicates the highest intensity category and the numeral specifies its strength, marked a notable moment in space weather.
The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), a division of NOAA, described this occurrence as an “amazing event” and potentially “one of the largest solar radio events ever recorded.” This solar activity has already caused notable disruptions, including interference with aircraft radio communications, as reported by the SWPC. The effects of this solar flare were so extensive that they were “felt from one end of the nation to the other.”
In addition to the flare, the SWPC is closely watching a potential Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with this event. CMEs, as explained by NASA, are massive clouds of electrified, magnetic gas ejected from the sun at speeds between 12 to 1,250 miles per second. These ejections can lead to geomagnetic storms on Earth, which are responsible for creating auroras.
*** Update — December 17, 2023, 09:20 EST ***
WARNING: Geomagnetic K-Index of 6 expected
Valid From: December 17, 2023
Warning Condition: Onset
NOAA Scale: G2 – Moderate
Potential Impacts: Area of impact primarily poleward of 55 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude.
Induced Currents – Power grid fluctuations can occur. High-latitude power systems may experience voltage alarms.
Spacecraft – Satellite orientation irregularities may occur; increased drag on low Earth-orbit satellites is possible.
Radio – HF (high frequency) radio propagation can fade at higher latitudes.
Aurora – Aurora may be seen much as low as New York to Wisconsin to Washington state, with potential to reach lower southern states as well.
___________________________________________________________________________________
%20(1).gif)
No comments:
Post a Comment