A powerful X1.9 solar flare erupted on January 18, launching a fast coronal mass ejection toward Earth. Forecasters warn of possible strong geomagnetic storms that could disrupt satellites, GPS and radio communications while producing vivid auroras at mid-latitudes.
X1.9 solar flare and CME may trigger storms, impacting satellites, radios, auroras
Photo Credit: NASA / NOAA
The Sun has just emitted a very powerful eruption that has resulted in a massive cloud of charged particles heading towards the Earth, with possible consequences of geomagnetic storms in the coming days. The solar eruption that occurred on January 18 emitted a very powerful solar flare that reached the X-class category and a very fast-moving Coronal Mass Ejection. The solar storm is likely to affect satellites and radio communications as well as cause bright aurora appearances outside the polar region.
According to reports, on January 18, the Sun unleashed an X1.9 flare. The eruption also disabled radio signals - an R3 blackout - over the Americas. Forecast models from NOAA and the UK Met Office indicate the CME could reach Earth in about 24 hours and cause a strong to severe geomagnetic storm, rated G3 to G4. Such storms can disrupt satellites and GPS navigation while driving aurorae far into mid-latitudes - sending them far south.
The strength of solar flares is categorised, and the strongest ones are called X-class. These bursts of energy are usually accompanied by CMEs - colossal releases of plasma and magnetic field in the corona of the Sun. Though not as fast as the radiation of a flare, which reaches the Earth in approximately eight minutes, a CME is far more gradual: even travelling at light speed, approximately 3,000 km/s, a fast CME still takes about 15 to 18 hours to get to Earth. A CME is then able to cause an interruption in the magnetosphere of the Earth, triggering a geomagnetic storm. Violent storms can shut down power grids or satellites, but they also illuminate the aurorae at a distance much farther than the poles.
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