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Blogs > loveisamyth > loveisamyth, stars are forever


loveisamyth 68M
849 posts
3/4/2015 10:53 am
QUIET WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF FLARES

Sunspot AR2290, which unleashed a strong M8-class flare yesterday, has rotated onto the backside of the sun. With its departure, solar activity is returning to low levels. NOAA forecasters say there is no more than a 20% chance of M-flares on March 4th.

A solar flare is an explosion on the Sun that happens when energy stored in twisted magnetic fields (usually above sunspots) is suddenly released. Flares produce a burst of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to x-rays and gamma-rays.

Scientists classify solar flares according to their x-ray brightness in the wavelength range 1 to 8 Angstroms. There are 3 categories: X-class flares are big; they are major events that can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. M-class flares are medium-sized; they can cause brief radio blackouts that affect Earth's polar regions. Minor radiation storms sometimes follow an M-class flare. Compared to X- and M-class events, C-class flares are small with few noticeable consequences here on Earth.



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