With notable consequences.
In this month of October, the sun strings together class X solar stormsthe most powerful in the category. This Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the recorded eruption was classified as X1.8. It follows a class X9.0 solar storm “flashed” on October 3. A storm entered the Top 15 of the most powerful ever recorded.
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“A historic event”: one of the largest solar storms ever recorded will hit the Earth, scientists sound the alert
The solar storm of this Tuesday evening began to affect the Earth this Wednesday, October 9 in the morning. Storm conditions, rated “minor” to “moderate”, are expected to continue through October 10-11.
This accumulation of solar matter will reach our planet and cause geomagnetic disturbances which will lead to the appearance ofnorthern lights at very low latitudes and could cause operational problems with radio communications systems.
Solar panels, electronic circuits…
A notable event because it is coupled with another phenomenon. And in particular of a proton storm. This event is called “solar radiation storm (also known as a solar proton event or SPE)”by specialists. The Space Weather Live website specifies that it “often occurs after major flares on the Sun, when protons are launched at incredibly high speeds, sometimes up to 10,000 km/s”.
A 5-level scale – from S1 to S5 – is used to classify the phenomenon. The one that hit the Earth is category S3, considered “strong”.
Still according to Space Weather Live, the consequences can be multiple. Earth’s inhabitants are protected from these storms by the radiomagnetic field that surrounds the planet. However, transpolar flights must be “diverted or canceled” because of these radiations, because of too much exposure. Protons can also “degrade the efficiency of solar panels, onboard electronic circuits can malfunction, and protons create noise in star tracking systems”.
In space, astronauts are vulnerable, particularly during their extra-vehicular missions.
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