On Thursday, March 28, a massive solar flare was detected from the sun by scientists using satellites from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The flare was categorized as an X1.1 flare, the most powerful type according to Live Science. Solar flares are large explosions that occur at the sun’s surface when magnetic-field lines suddenly snap, emitting large bursts of electromagnetic radiation.
The recent solar event comes after a “double” X-class flare that occurred on Monday, March 25, triggering the most powerful geomagnetic storm since 2018. This March 25 event consisted of a phenomenon called a sympathetic solar flare, which involves two simultaneous solar explosions.
According to NASA, X-class flares are the most powerful explosions that the sun can produce. The explosion was so intense that it caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean. The solar flare also resulted in the expulsion of plasma known as a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). Although initially expected to collide with Earth, the CME is now likely to miss our planet. If it had collided, it could have potentially caused a geomagnetic storm that might impact the functioning of satellites.
Scientists believe that the sun may have entered a period of peak explosive activity known as solar maximum. This cycle is part of the sun’s 11-year solar cycle, and the solar maximum has begun a year earlier than previously predicted. This increased solar activity is causing concern among scientists as it could have various impacts on Earth’s atmosphere and technology.
