Recently, the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued an alert due to several strong solar flares observed in recent days. These flares have caused disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field, which can last from hours to days and are associated with large sunspot clusters that have reached 16 times the diameter of the Earth. The unusual event prompted the declaration of a level G4 alert, indicating a serious or severe situation.
During a news conference, SWPC coordinator Shawn Dahl described the event as a rare occurrence. Data shows that solar winds are moving towards Earth at a speed of almost 800 kilometers per second. The solar storm is expected to continue until Sunday the 12th and possibly into the first days of the following week. Moderate to very strong eruptions, some associated with mass ejections from the solar corona directed towards Earth, have been observed.
Solar activity is typically indicated by the number of sunspots visible on the Sun. Roy Hidalgo, a professor at the Faculty of Physical Sciences of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, explains that more sunspots indicate a more active Sun. The current solar storm includes phenomena like solar flares, particle radiation, and coronal mass ejections (CME), which is also known as a geomagnetic storm when it affects Earth.
A geomagnetic storm can have various effects on Earth. The Earth’s protective layers, such as the atmosphere and magnetosphere, play a role in mitigating
