Much less frequent, but much more powerful.
THE coronal mass ejections (CME) Or solar flares are commonplace on the surface of the Sun. Events so powerful that they can have repercussions 150 million kilometers away, on the surface of the Earth. Indeed, if the ejection is powerful enough and oriented in the “right” direction, then it can reach our planet.
Although most of them have no effect, some can manifest themselves in what is called a geomagnetic stormby disrupting the Earth’s magnetosphere: for example, the proper functioning of satellites, electrical systems (damaging transformers, sounding alarms) and even causing a radio blackout.
The Earth is regularly affected by these types of storms. As was again the case this Monday morning.
Class
Indeed, spaceweather observers are reporting a geomagnetic storm of class. Class X storms are the most powerful in the category. They are notably 10 times stronger than the storms of class Mthemselves 10 times more powerful than the storms of class C. But also much less frequent. For comparison, around ten “M class” have touched Earth in the past 24 hours, compared to only one X class.
As a result, a category R3 radio blackout affected the Earth and the surface exposed to the Sun at this precise moment (7:24 a.m. French time).
With the possibility “extensive failure of HF radio communications and loss of radio contact for approximately one hour ‘sunny side’”, that is to say in an area centered around Asia, but which also impacts Western Europe, including France. As well as northern Lights at unusual latitudes.
