Sun Erupts with Biggest Radiation Storm in 7 Years

[PPI Debra]

From: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46102926/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.Tx3Y1vng3eU

A powerful solar eruption is expected to blast a stream of charged particles past Earth on Tuesday, as the strongest radiation storm since 2005 rages on the sun.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught an extreme ultraviolet flash from a huge eruption on the sun overnight (10:59 p.m. ET Sunday, or 0359 GMT Monday), according to SpaceWeather.com.

The solar flare spewed from sunspot 1402, a region of the sun that has become increasingly active lately. Several NASA satellites, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Solar Heliospheric Observatory and the STEREO spacecraft, observed the massive sun storm.

A barrage of charged particles triggered by the outburst is expected to hit Earth at around 9 a.m. ET Tuesday, according to experts at the Space Weather Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [Video and photos of the solar flare]

NOAA's forecasters say this is the strongest solar radiation storm since May 2005. As a precaution, polar flights on Earth are expected to be rerouted, the agency's deputy administrator, Kathy Sullivan, said Monday at the 92nd annual American Meteorological Society meeting in New Orleans.

Scientists call these electromagnetic bursts "coronal mass ejections," and they are closely studied because they can produce potentially harmful geomagnetic storms when electrically charged particles from the sun interact with Earth's magnetic field.

In addition to generating stronger than normal displays of Earth's auroras (also known as the northern and southern lights), geomagnetic storms aimed directly at our planet can also disrupt satellites in orbit, cause widespread communications interference and damage other electronic infrastructures.


"There is little doubt that the cloud is heading in the general direction of Earth," SpaceWeather.com said  in an alert. "A preliminary inspection of SOHO/STEREO imagery suggests that the CME will deliver a strong glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 24-25 as it sails mostly north of our planet."


Sunday's solar flare was rated an M9-class eruption, which placed it just on the verge of being an X-class flare, the most powerful type of solar storm. M-class sun storms are powerful but midrange, while C-class flares are weaker.

Last week, a separate sunspot group unleashed several M-class flares. SDO scientists said these types of flares are occurring almost daily as the sun's rotation slowly turns the region toward Earth.

The sun's activity waxes and wanes on an 11-year cycle. Currently, our planet's nearest star is in the midst of Solar Cycle 24, and activity is expected to ramp up toward solar maximum in 2013.

Editor's note: If you snap an amazing northern lights photo, or other skywatching image, and would like to share it for a possible story or gallery, please contact managing editor Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com.

OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer Brett Israel contributed to this report from New Orleans. Follow Space.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom  and on Facebook.

 

? 2012 Space.com. All rights reserved.

[PPI Karl]

This could be an opportunity to do an impromptu experiment tomorrow night to see if EVP (or other media) are affected, or if equipment is influenced by solar activity like this.

[PPI Tracy]

Great idea, Karl.


p.s. that verification error thing just did it again when I hit "Quote".  Grrrr.....

[PPI Brian]

Great idea, Karl.


p.s. that verification error thing just did it again when I hit "Quote".  Grrrr.....

Me too. Just hit the "refresh" button and it will allow you to quote.  

Here's a video composite of the flare taken from SDPO and STEREO spacecraft:
http://www.youtube.com/v/-JfzntjTbIQ

http://www.youtube.com/v/SBMrdmubZ24

[PPI Tracy]

Hmmmm.....coud this be why my hearing has been completely gone for the last two days with horrible pressure in both of them?  (with zero congestion)

Sounds good to me.  (no pun)  

I do know SOMETHING is going on with the environment over the last few days.  You can feel it.

[PPI Debra]

Hmmmm.....coud this be why my hearing has been completely gone for the last two days with horrible pressure in both of them?  (with zero congestion)

Sounds good to me.  (no pun)  

I do know SOMETHING is going on with the environment over the last few days.  You can feel it.

Tracy,

I have been able to hear electromagnetic events since 2004. It does affect my ears, balance, and sometimes gives me headaches. This is how I learned that earthquakes are an electromagnetic event.
Q tips are useless for this!

[PPI Karl]

This just in . . .


Sun Erupts With Major Solar Flare
SPACE.com Staff
Date: 05 March 2012 Time: 10:04 AM ET

A major solar flare erupted from the sun late last night (March 4) sending an explosion of plasma and charged particles hurtling toward Earth.  The flare was an X1.1-class solar flare and exploded from the surface of the sun at 11:13 p.m. EST (0413 GMT March 5), according to the Space Weather Prediction Center operated by the National Weather Service. 

X-class flares are the most powerful type of solar storm, with M-class eruptions falling within the mid-range, and C-class flares being the weakest. The X-class flare unleashed a wave of plasma and charged particles, called a coronal mass ejection (CME), into space. Experts at the Space Weather Prediction Center said the CME will likely miss Earth, but they remain alert for minor geomagnetic storms beginning late Tuesday (March 6) and lasting through Wednesday (March 7).  "According to analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, the CME will probably miss Earth, although it will hit Mercury and Venus." the website Spaceweather.com reported in an alert. "Even if this CME misses, high-latitude sky watchers should still be alert for auroras in the nights ahead."  Several spacecraft, including NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), observed the extreme ultraviolet flash from the X-class flare.

This latest solar flare is the second X-class sun storm of 2012. The first event occurred on Jan. 27 and registered as an X1.7 on the space weather scale used by astronomers.  When a powerful X-class flare is aimed directly at Earth, it can sometimes cause significant disruptions to satellites in space and power grids and communications infrastructure on the ground. Strong flares and CMEs can also pose potential hazards to astronauts on the International Space Station. These radiation storms can also amp up normal aurora displays (also called the northern and southern lights) for lucky skywatchers at high latitudes.

Last night's solar flare burst from a big sunspot region called AR1429, which has been particularly active since it materialized on March 2. This same region produced an M2-class eruption yesterday, which also triggered a CME that is currently approaching Earth and could deliver a glancing blow tonight at around 11:30 p.m. EST (0430 GMT Tuesday, March 6).  As a result, when the CME from last night's X-class flare arrives at Earth over the next day or two, the planet might already be in the midst of a geomagnetic storm, according to Spaceweather.com.  The sun's activity ebbs and flows in an 11-year cycle. Currently, the sun is in the midst of Solar Cycle 24, and activity is expected to ramp up toward the solar maximum in 2013.

[PPI Debra]

It's always interesting to observe what effect these storms may have on the Earth (quakes and volcanoes), technology (satellites which support TV, computers, phones, etc...), and the human population (behavior, health).
And paranormal activity, of course.

[PPI Tracy]

Did you get the sense of anything before this morning?  (two quakes in San Fran early this morning).  I don't know how far or close they have to be from you.  It's funny though; it seems everytime there is a huge change in the temp, an earthquake happens.  Not much change in weather in San Fran though.  At least as much as it was down here this last week/weekend.

[PPI Debra]

Did you get the sense of anything before this morning?  (two quakes in San Fran early this morning).  I don't know how far or close they have to be from you.  It's funny though; it seems everytime there is a huge change in the temp, an earthquake happens.  Not much change in weather in San Fran though.  At least as much as it was down here this last week/weekend.

I frequently have my left ear ring prior to electromagnetic events (1-3 days). During the period of flux in our atmosphere, I get headaches. Sometimes I can "sense" some kind of pressure prior to events.

[PPI Karl]

I've had some major old-school cluster headaches these last couple of days.  (Having one right now, in fact.)  I don't know if they're related, but it's good to compare notes nevertheless. 

[PPI Tracy]

Very true.

[PPI Debra]

I've had some major old-school cluster headaches these last couple of days.  (Having one right now, in fact.)  I don't know if they're related, but it's good to compare notes nevertheless. 

I've had a cluster headache as of last night. Throbbing all night.  :-( Still here now.

[PPI Tracy]

I"m so sorry, you two.  They are horrible indeed.   

[PPI Tim]

It's just the neutrinos that shot through your heads from when it Burped.
Do neutrinos have electrons?

[PPI Debra]

It's just the neutrinos that shot through your heads from when it Burped.
Do neutrinos have electrons?

I don't know, but there are electron neutrinos.
I have to brush up on Wolfgang Pauli's work.

[PPI Tracy]

It's just the neutrinos that shot through your heads from when it Burped.
Do neutrinos have electrons?

"Generator, oscillator....make a circuit with me"

Sorry...I took a trip back to the 80's there for a minute. I live my life in song, I swear.  That just popped into my demented head.

Okay...as you were.

[PPI Debra]

Story with video and photos here: http://www.space.com/14818-solar-flare-magnetic-storm-satellites.html

Huge Solar Flare's Magnetic Storm May Disrupt Satellites, Power Grids
by Denise Chow, SPACE.com Staff Writer
Date: 07 March 2012 Time: 12:40 PM ET

his story was updated at 1:19 p.m. EST.

A massive solar flare that erupted from the sun late Tuesday (March 6) is unleashing one of the most powerful solar storms in more than five years, a solar tempest that may potentially interfere with satellites in orbit and power grids when it reaches Earth.

"Space weather has gotten very interesting over the last 24 hours," Joseph Kunches, a space weather scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told reporters today (March 7). "This was quite the Super Tuesday ? you bet."

Several NASA spacecraft caught videos of the solar flare as it hurled a wave of solar plasma and charged particles, called a coronal mass ejection (CME), into space. The CME is not expected to hit Earth directly, but the cloud of charged particles could deliver a glancing blow to the planet.

Early predictions estimate that the CME will reach Earth tomorrow (March 8) at 7 a.m. EST (1200 GMT), with the effects likely lasting for 24 hours, and possibly lingering into Friday, Kunches said.

The solar eruptions occurred late Tuesday night when the sun let loose two huge X-class solar flares that ranked among the strongest type of sun storms. The biggest of those flares registered as an X5.4-class solar storm on the space weather scale, making it the strongest sun eruption so far this year.

Typically, CMEs contain 10 billion tons of solar plasma and material, and the CME triggered by last night's X5.4-class flare is the one that could disrupt satellite operations, Kunches said.

"When the shock arrives, the expectation is for heightened geomagnetic storm activity and the potential for heightened solar radiation," Kunches said.

This heightened geomagnetic activity and increase in solar radiation could impact satellites in space and power grids on the ground. Some high-precision GPS users could also be affected, he said.

"There is the potential for induced currents in power grids," Kunches said. "Power grid operators have all been alerted. It could start to cause some unwanted induced currents."

Airplanes that fly over the polar caps could also experience communications issues during this time, and some commercial airliners have already taken precautionary actions, Kunches said. Powerful solar storms can also be hazardous to astronauts in space, and NOAA is working close with NASA's Johnson Space Center to determine if the six residents of the International Space Station need to take shelter in more protected areas of the orbiting laboratory, he added.

The flurry of recent space weather events could also supercharge aurora displays (also known as the northern and southern lights) for skywatchers at high latitudes.

"Auroras are probably the treat that we get when the sun erupts," Kunches said.


Over the next couple days, Kunches estimates that brightened auroras could potentially be seen as far south as the southern Great Lakes region, provided the skies are clear.

Yesterday's solar flares erupted from the giant active sunspot AR1429, which spewed an earlier X1.1-class flare on Sunday (March 4). The CME from that outburst mostly missed Earth, passing by last night at around 11 p.m. EST (0400 GMT March 7), according to the Space Weather Prediction Center, which is jointly managed by NOAA and the National Weather Service.

This means that the planet is already experiencing heightened geomagnetic and radiation effects in advance of the next oncoming CME.

"We've got a whole series of things going off, and they take different times to arrive, so they're all piling on top of each other," Harlan Spence, an astrophysicist at the University of New Hampshire, told SPACE.com. "It complicates the forecasting and predicting because there are always inherent uncertainties with any single event. Now, with multiple events piling on top of one another, that uncertainty grows."

Scientists are closely monitoring the situation, particularly because the AR1429 sunspot region remains potent.

"We think there will be more coming," Kunches said. "The potential for more activity still looms."
The massive sunspot region 1429 has been active lately.
The massive sunspot region AR1429 has been particularly active since it emerged on March 2, 2012.


As the sun rotates, the AR1429 region is shifting closer to the central meridian of the solar disk. From there, flares and associated CMEs may pack more a punch because they are more directly pointed at Earth.

"The sun is waking up at a time in the month when Earth is coming into harm's way," Spence said. "Think of these CMEs somewhat like a bullet that is shot from the sun in more or less a straight line. When the sunspot is right in the middle of the sun, something launched from there is more or less directed right at Earth. It's kind of like how getting sideswiped by a car is different than a head-on collision. Even still, being sideswiped by a big CME can be quite dramatic."

Spence estimates that sunspot region AR1429 will rotate past the central meridian in about a week.

The sun's activity ebbs and flows on an 11-year cycle. The sun is in the midst of Solar Cycle 24, and activity is expected to ramp up toward the solar maximum in 2013.

[PPI Jason]

I went to the "Sky Tonight" show last night at the Ruben H. Fleet.

Dr. Grant gave a very good discussion of solar flares and how they affect us and interact with the magnetosphere and magnetopause. The new projection system allowed him to put a giant earth up on the screen and show how the magnetic fields radiate around the earth (spinning it around and zooming in and out in 3 dimensions). It was really amazing and got a lot of "ooohs" and "aaaahs" from the crowd.

I took my two boys and my Dad. They had a great time. It was interesting because I had just been talking with Tyler and Xander about solar flares.

I know Brian and Karl have a theory that increased paranormal activity could be related to increased solar activity. Hopefully we can get some data into the PPRD during these peaks (while they last) so we can get some comparison data that we can use to compare with data that we get (and have gotten) while the sun was less active.

Dr. Grant mentioned that the sun seems to go through an 11 year cycle. He stated that we are on the up-swing of that cycle and that it is expected to peak in around two years (at which point it will start to decline over a period of 5 years before reaching a nadir and then slowing increasing again). If this is the case, then we need to make sure we take advantage of this time to get in some good investigations.

It also means that I will need help from Brian the "Brain" Miller to make sure that I set up the PPRD to properly capture as much data about these solar events as possible. 

[PPI Debra]

I went to the "Sky Tonight" show last night at the Ruben H. Fleet.

Dr. Grant gave a very good discussion of solar flares and how they affect us and interact with the magnetosphere and magnetopause. The new projection system allowed him to put a giant earth up on the screen and show how the magnetic fields radiate around the earth (spinning it around and zooming in and out in 3 dimensions). It was really amazing and got a lot of "ooohs" and "aaaahs" from the crowd.

I took my two boys and my Dad. They had a great time. It was interesting because I had just been talking with Tyler and Xander about solar flares.

I know Brian and Karl have a theory that increased paranormal activity could be related to increased solar activity. Hopefully we can get some data into the PPRD during these peaks (while they last) so we can get some comparison data that we can use to compare with data that we get (and have gotten) while the sun was less active.

Dr. Grant mentioned that the sun seems to go through an 11 year cycle. He stated that we are on the up-swing of that cycle and that it is expected to peak in around two years (at which point it will start to decline over a period of 5 years before reaching a nadir and then slowing increasing again). If this is the case, then we need to make sure we take advantage of this time to get in some good investigations.

It also means that I will need help from Brian the "Brain" Miller to make sure that I set up the PPRD to properly capture as much data about these solar events as possible. 

The Sky Tonight presentation sounds amazing!

I agree with you about collecting data, and doing investigations during this period.

[PPI Tim]

It is going to be so nice when we get the Database up and running.

[PPI Brian]

I'm so glad you guys got to go to the presentation at the R.H. Fleet. I hope to get out my ETX 60 this weekend and try to capture some images of the sunspots with the solar filter. It's been such a long time. Must get back in practice for the Venus Transit in June.  

Here's the MDI image as of today: