NASA has recorded a maximum solar flare that could trigger a magnetic storm on Earth.
According to the predictions of Tamitha Skov, a popular expert in space weather, the Earth could suffer a “direct hit” from a solar storm. this same Tuesday.
Solar flares are like a cannon blast, according to NASA. It is an explosion of light that reaches the Earth in 8 minutes of travel and, in turn, carries high-energy particles that They interact with our atmosphere.
The main consequences of this phenomenon on Earth would have to do with the alteration of the GPS present in telephones, airplanes or cars. Also, satellite communications and internet networksessential for daily activity, they could also be affected.
Through her Twitter account, the expert pointed out “It is possible that with this [tormenta] The strong northern lights occur in the mid-latitudes. Interruptions of transmission signals and GPS services are expected on the night side of the Earth, “she said.
In a series of posts, the expert reveals a video graph showing the possible movements of the spatial effect, in which she states that “the long snake-shaped filament does a somersault out of the sun in a surprising ballet”.
It would not be the first time this has happened due to a solar storm: in fact on July 3 there was a momentary blackout of radio waves in the Atlantic due to one of these phenomena.
The National Geographic Institute (IGN) defines these solar storms as “disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field that last from a few hours to a few days”.
The IGN explains that they originate from “a sharp increase in the particles emitted in the solar flares reaching the magnetosphere”.
The surface of our sun is an incredibly hot and chaotic place, with immense amounts of energy creating magnetic fields.
The interaction between these fields is the starting point of the solar climate. Since the Sun is not a solid body, it rotates faster around its equator than it does around its poles. Over time, NASA details complex magnetic fields bend, accumulating energy.
This phenomenon begins with an eruption on the solar surface that sends tons of energy into space at the speed of light. Some of the geomagnetic storms come from a coronal mass ejection – a wave made of solar radiation and wind – released from the sun.
how they are classified
The powerful glow that radiates from the Sun.
Geomagnetic storms are classified with letters and numbers based on the level of danger and the intensity cycle of our star.
Those of level G2 are moderate, can cause interference in radio signals and alter the trajectories of some satellites. G3s are strong, with very similar consequences to a G2 storm, but a little more intense.
According to data contemplated by Skov, the magnetic orientation of this solar storm is difficult to predict. However, if his field faces south, it could cause a moderate storm of category G2 or “possibly G3”, he explained.
Source: Clarin
