On September 1, 1859, two English astronomers, Richard Carrington and S. Hodgson, independently observing the Sun in white light, saw something like lightning flash suddenly among one group of sunspots. This was the first observation of a new, still unknown phenomenon on the Sun; it was later named solar flare.

What is a solar flare? In short, this is the strongest explosion on the Sun, as a result of which a huge amount of energy accumulated in a limited volume of the solar atmosphere is quickly released.

Flashes most often occur in neutral regions. located between large spots of opposite polarity. Typically, the development of a flash begins with a sudden increase in brightness flare site- regions of a brighter, and hence hotter, photosphere. Then a catastrophic explosion occurs, during which the solar plasma heats up to 40-100 million K. This manifests itself in a multiple increase in the short-wave radiation of the Sun (ultraviolet and X-ray), as well as in an increase in the "radio voice" of the daylight and in the release of accelerated solar corpuscles (particles) . And in some of the most powerful flares, even solar cosmic rays are generated, the protons of which reach speeds equal to half the speed of light. Such particles have deadly energy. They are able to almost freely penetrate the spacecraft and destroy the cells of a living organism. Therefore, solar cosmic rays can pose a serious danger to the crew caught in flight by a sudden flash.

Thus, solar flares emit radiation in the form of electromagnetic waves and in the form of particles of matter. Amplification of electromagnetic radiation occurs in a wide range of wavelengths - from hard X-rays and gamma rays to kilometer radio waves. In this case, the total flux of visible radiation always remains constant to within fractions of a percent. . Weak flares on the Sun almost always occur, and large ones - once every few months. But during the years of maximum solar activity, large solar flares occur several times a month. Usually a small flash lasts 5 - 10 minutes; the most powerful - a few hours. During this time, a plasma cloud with a mass of up to 10 billion tons is ejected into the near-solar space and energy is released that is equivalent to the explosion of tens or even hundreds of millions of hydrogen bombs! However, the power of even the largest flares does not exceed hundredths of a percent of the power of the total solar radiation. Therefore, during a flash, there is no noticeable increase in the luminosity of our daylight.

During the flight of the first crew on the American orbital station Skylab (May-June 1973), they managed to photograph the flash in the light of iron vapor at a temperature of 17 million K, which should be hotter than in the center of a solar fusion reactor. And in recent years, pulses of gamma radiation have been recorded from several flares.

Such impulses probably owe their origin to annihilation of electron-positron pairs. The positron is known to be the antiparticle of the electron. It has the same mass as an electron, but has the opposite electrical charge. When an electron and a positron collide, which can happen in solar flares, they are immediately annihilated, turning into two gamma-ray photons.

Like any heated body, the Sun continuously emits radio waves. The thermal radio emission of the quiet Sun, when there are no spots and flares on it, constantly comes from the chromosphere both at millimeter and centimeter waves, and from the corona at meter waves. But as soon as large spots appear, a flash occurs, strong radio bursts appear against the background of calm radio emission ... And then the radio emission of the Sun increases abruptly by thousands, or even millions of times!

The physical processes leading to the occurrence of solar flares are very complex and still poorly understood. However, the very fact of the appearance of solar flares almost exclusively in large groups of sunspots testifies to the relationship of flares with strong magnetic fields on the Sun. And a flash is, apparently, nothing more than a grandiose explosion caused by a sudden compression of the solar plasma under the pressure of a strong magnetic field. It is the energy of the magnetic fields, somehow released, that generates a solar flare.
Radiation from solar flares often reaches our planet, having a strong effect on the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere (ionosphere). They also lead to the occurrence of magnetic storms and auroras.

Consequences of solar flares

On February 23, 1956, the stations of the Service of the Sun noted a powerful flash in the daylight. An explosion of unprecedented force threw giant clouds of incandescent plasma into the near-solar space - each many times larger than the Earth! And with a speed of more than 1000 km / s, they rushed towards our planet. The first echoes of this catastrophe quickly reached us through the cosmic abyss. Approximately 8.5 minutes after the start of the outbreak, a greatly increased flux of ultraviolet and X-rays reached the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere - the ionosphere, increased its heating and ionization. This led to a sharp deterioration and even a temporary cessation of short-wave radio communications, because instead of being reflected from the ionosphere, as from a screen, they began to be intensively absorbed by it ...

Sometimes, with very strong flashes, radio interference lasts for several days in a row, until the restless luminary "comes back to normal." The dependence is traced here so clearly that the frequency of such interference can be used to judge the level of solar activity. But the main perturbations caused on Earth by the flare activity of the star are ahead.

Following the short-wave radiation (ultraviolet and X-rays) of our planet, a stream of high-energy solar cosmic rays reaches. True, the magnetic shell of the Earth protects us quite reliably from these deadly rays. But for astronauts working in open space, they pose a very serious danger: exposure can easily exceed the permissible dose. That is why about 40 observatories of the world constantly participate in the patrol service of the Sun - they conduct continuous observations of the flare activity of the daytime star.

Further development of geophysical phenomena on Earth can be expected in a day or two days after the outbreak. It is this time - 30-50 hours - required for the plasma clouds to reach the earth's "environs". After all, a solar flare is something like a space gun that shoots into interplanetary space with corpuscles - particles of solar matter: electrons, protons (nuclei of hydrogen atoms), alpha particles (nuclei of helium atoms). The mass of corpuscles erupted by the outbreak in February 1956 amounted to billions of tons!

As soon as the clouds of solar particles collided with the Earth, the compass needles darted, and the night sky above the planet was decorated with multi-colored flashes of the aurora. Among patients, heart attacks have become more frequent, and the number of road accidents has increased.

Why are there magnetic storms, aurora borealis... Literally the entire globe shuddered under the pressure of gigantic corpuscular clouds: earthquakes occurred in many seismic zones. And, as it were, to top it all off, the duration of the day changed abruptly by as much as 10 ... microseconds!

Space research has shown that the globe is surrounded by a magnetosphere, that is, a magnetic shell; inside the magnetosphere, the strength of the terrestrial magnetic field prevails over the strength of the interplanetary field. And in order for the flare to have an impact on the Earth's magnetosphere and the Earth itself, it must occur at a time when the active region on the Sun is located near the center of the solar disk, that is, it is oriented towards our planet. Otherwise, all flare radiations (electromagnetic and corpuscular) will rush sideways.

Plasma, which rushes from the surface of the Sun into outer space, has a certain density and is able to exert pressure on any obstacles encountered in its path. Such a significant obstacle is the Earth's magnetic field - its magnetosphere. It counteracts the flow of solar matter. There comes a moment when both pressures are balanced in this confrontation. Then the boundary of the Earth's magnetosphere, compressed by the solar plasma flow from the day side, is set at a distance of about 10 Earth radii from the surface of our planet, and the plasma, unable to move straight, begins to flow around the magnetosphere. In this case, the particles of the solar matter stretch its magnetic field lines, and on the night side of the Earth (in the opposite direction from the Sun), a long plume (tail) is formed near the magnetosphere, which extends beyond the orbit of the Moon. The earth with its magnetic shell is inside this corpuscular flow. And if the usual solar wind, constantly flowing around the magnetosphere, can be compared with a light breeze, then the rapid flow of corpuscles generated by a powerful solar flare is like a terrible hurricane. When such a hurricane hits the magnetic shell of the globe, it is compressed even more strongly from the sunflower side and magnetic storm.

Thus, solar activity affects terrestrial magnetism. With its strengthening, the frequency and intensity of magnetic storms increases. But this connection is quite complex and consists of a whole chain of physical interactions. The main link in this process is the enhanced flow of corpuscles that occurs during solar flares.

Part of the energetic corpuscles in the polar latitudes breaks out of the magnetic trap into the earth's atmosphere. And then, at altitudes from 100 to 1000 km, fast protons and electrons, colliding with air particles, excite them and make them glow. As a result, there is Polar Lights.

Periodic "revival" of the great luminary is a natural phenomenon. So, for example, after a grandiose solar flare observed on March 6, 1989, corpuscular streams excited literally the entire magnetosphere of our planet. As a result, a powerful magnetic storm broke out on Earth. It was accompanied by an astonishing aurora borealis, which reached the tropical zone in the region of the Californian Peninsula! Three days later, a new powerful outbreak occurred, and on the night of March 13-14, the inhabitants of the southern coast of Crimea also admired the enchanting flashes that stretched out in the starry sky above the rocky teeth of Ai-Petri. It was a unique sight, similar to the glow of a fire that immediately engulfed half the sky.

The sun- a mysterious star that has a great influence on the entire solar system. Without it, life on planet Earth would be impossible. The luminary keeps many secrets, and one of them is flashes in the sun. What is this amazing phenomenon?

1. The entire planet could be left without electricity.. Solar flares can cause powerful magnetic storms. Weak storms constantly create interference and interfere with the smooth operation of electrical appliances. What can we say about strong storms? They are able to completely deprive our planet of electricity in a matter of hours.
2. Solar flares can kill people. Solar flares have a very strong effect on people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. If strong solar activity is too long, the world will lose a thousand people in an instant.

   

3. Volcanic eruptions are caused by the sun. Solar flares significantly affect volcanic activity. Strong fluctuations in the Sun can cause volcanic eruptions around the world. That being said, if they are strong enough, an eruption can occur even in the calmest parts of the world.

   

4. The strongest activity was recorded in 1859. This resulted in the failure of all magnetic devices and telegraphs. Initially, this situation caused a massive shock. People thought that this was heaven's retribution for sins and bad deeds committed. But the scientific world was much more educated, he unraveled the reason for the failure of all devices.

   

5. Will you be able to see her? Surely many would like to survive an extreme situation when the world is without electricity. However, it's not that easy. Strong outbreaks that can de-energize the entire world and plunge it into chaos occur only once every 500 years.

   

6. The energy of one flash is simply incredible. It is equal to one sixth of the energy released by the Sun in 1 second or the volume of world energy consumption in 1 million years! This is a huge power that impresses with its scope.

   

7. Some people claim to have seen a UFO. But is it? Unfortunately, astrology and physics are not the strongest side of the majority of society. It's a pity. After all, then people would understand that they were observing plasma clouds that create solar flares. They are often mistaken for UFOs.

   

8. It is impossible to predict a surge in order to protect yourself from it.! Despite the amazing technologies of our time, scientists will not be able to warn humanity from the solar threat. Even NASA gives forecasts only a couple of days ahead. In such a short time, almost no one can protect themselves. One can only hope that scientists will invent a way to predict earlier.

   

9. Solar flares were previously called chromospheric flares.. This lasted until the moment when scientists realized that the Sun at the moment of a small explosion emits not one type of energy, but three whole types - light, heat and kinetic.

   

10. How to understand where the next surge will occur? It turns out that all this happens not anywhere, but in special places. Flares occur in places where sunspots of opposite magnetic polarity interact and in the vicinity of the magnetic line.

    

11. When can we expect the next peak? It's useless to wait, the next one will not happen soon. The peak of solar activity occurred in the fall of 2012. After all, religious people connected the end of the world with this event.

    

12. Where do outbreaks occur? It turned out that they happen not only in the atmosphere of a star, but also in the corona and chromosphere. Scientists were mistaken in believing that flares could only occur in one part of the Sun.

    

13. Star flares happen at an amazing rate.. The plasma heats up and the particles reach the speed of light. On average, the surge lasts from a few minutes.

    

14. Astronauts should be very careful. During a strong solar storm, they are given 15 minutes (!) to take cover and protect themselves from the strongest dose of radiation.

    

15. Everyone is able to observe a warm star! It's true. On the Web you will find many sites that draw information from space sites. You can observe the physical processes on the Sun online. Perhaps you will be the first to see something unusual!

    

For more than a decade, scientists from different countries have been trying to figure out how to predict such natural phenomena as solar flares. Their frequency is determined by eleven-year cycles of solar activity. However, the most powerful and unpleasant manifestations of the activity of the Sun overtake us, quite suddenly, to this day. This is due to the fact that solar flares can be predicted only by analyzing solar magnetic fields, which are not distinguished by constancy and at least minimal stability.

The impact of solar flares on outer space

Solar flares are considered the most unfavorable for space explorers. Representing the greatest degree of threat in the expanses of outer space, waves of powerful explosive energy may well damage communications satellites, and even spacecraft, completely disabling instruments and control systems. Flashes on, forming powerful streams of protons, significantly increase the level of radiation, as a result of which people in outer space can easily be exposed to strong radiation. A certain risk of exposure exists even for passengers of airliners who fly during certain periods, falling on the peaks of outbreak activity.

Under the Soviet Union, leading experts at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory tried to predict the possibility of solar flares, and if the prerequisites for an energy explosion arose, the astronauts' flights were necessarily postponed. In 1968, the forecast of Soviet scientists about the upcoming solar flare, which was assigned the highest level of danger - three points, became a world sensation. Then the Soyuz-3 spacecraft with Georgy Beregov was landed, and after three hours they observed a powerful flare on the Sun, which for a person in space would be fatal.

Plasma cloud danger and solar flare classification

Solar flares can pose a considerable danger to the inhabitants of our planet, even though the Earth is protected from them by the geomagnetic field and the atmospheric ozone layer. Each such flash is accompanied by a cloud of a kind of plasma and, reaching the Earth, it is this plasma that causes magnetic storms that negatively affect almost all living organisms and disable the most powerful communication systems.

After the start of a solar flare, radiation reaches the Earth's surface within an 8-10-minute period, after which powerfully charged particles are sent towards our planet. Further, within a three-day period, the plasma clouds reach the Earth. A kind of blast wave collides with our planet and causes magnetic storms. The duration of each outbreak usually does not exceed a few minutes, but this time and the power of the energy release is quite enough to affect the state of the Earth and the well-being of its inhabitants.

scientists solar flares have been classified into five types: A, B, C, M, X. In this case, A are flares with a minimum degree of X-ray emission, and each subsequent one is 10 times more intense than the previous one. Class X flares are considered the most powerful and dangerous. Numerous scientists and researchers have noticed that even typhoons, hurricanes and earthquakes most often occur during solar activity. Therefore, forecasts of various natural disasters are often associated with solar flares.

The main types of danger in solar flares

Without exaggerating the level of influence of flares from the Sun on the human body and well-being, it is possible to identify groups of people who are most susceptible to the negative effects of solar system energy explosions.

It has been proven more than once that catastrophes and accidents due to the fault of the human factor increase quantitatively during the days of solar flares. This is due to the fact that during such periods, brain activity is maximally weakened, and concentration of attention is greatly dulled. In addition, for a number of people, magnetic storms are the causative agents of real torment and frustration. There are many such groups:

• People with weakened immune systems;
• The population suffering from cardiovascular diseases, migraines, jumps (drops) in blood pressure;
• People with chronic illnesses that are exacerbated during each solar flare and subsequent magnetic storm;
• Population subject to periodic manifestations of insomnia, loss of appetite, restless sleep;
• Mentally unbalanced individuals.

There are separate opinions, repeatedly confirmed in practice, that many during magnetic storms begin to be disturbed by old wounds, scars, damaged bones or sore joints. Also, those representatives who have a so-called delayed reaction to magnetic storms can be attributed to a separate group. These are people who experience negative effects a few days after solar flares.

Many experts advise periodically undergoing medical examinations to detect chronic diseases. Since it is precisely this kind of disease that is significantly aggravated during solar flares, it will be possible, if not to prevent the upcoming malaise and deterioration in health, then at least to have medicines at hand.

How scientists are trying to predict solar flares

Given the degree of influence and danger from solar flares, work and attempts to find the most accurate methods for predicting this phenomenon do not stop. For a long time, scientists and weather forecasters considered two ways to solve the problem:

1. Casual - is based on predicting the next outbreak by its simulation, for which the physical mechanisms of the outbreak are carefully studied.
2. Synoptic - a method that involves the study and analysis of the prerequisites and behavior of the Sun before each flare.

The fact remains that the coronal origin of solar flares and their magnetic nature are directly related. This means that for a better development of forecasting, it will most likely be necessary to link both methods together.

Watch out for solar flares today in real time: a graph of flares and powerful solar events online, the dynamics of activity today, yesterday and for a month.

Outbreak forecast for today

outbreaks class C and above There was no sun.

Thanks to the chart below, you can find out which solar flares happened today.

Solar flare activity index per day and month

Flashes for yesterday

Solar flares yesterday

On the The sun happened 1 flash class C and above:

solar flare– a sudden, rapid and intense change in the brightness level. It appears when the magnetic energy that originated in the solar atmosphere is released. The rays come out across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The energy reserve is equivalent to millions of hydrogen bombs with a simultaneous explosion of 100 megatons! The first outbreak was recorded on September 1, 1859. It was tracked independently by Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson.

Our star has a cycle, during which solar flares are noted. These solar flares are characterized by a colossal energy release that affects the planetary weather, as well as the behavior and health of living organisms. But they cannot be observed without special technologies. Here you can check the status solar flares in real time online. You can also check the sunny weather forecast for today to understand what to prepare for.

With the release of magnetic energy, electrons, protons and heavy nuclei are heated and accelerated. Usually the energy reaches 10 27 erg/s. Large events rise to 10 32 erg/s. This is 10 million times more than during a volcanic eruption.

A solar flare is divided into 3 stages. First note the antecedent when the magnetic energy is released. It is possible to fix the event in soft X-rays. Further, protons and electrons are accelerated to energies above 1 MeV. During the impulse stage, radio waves, gamma rays and hard x-rays are released. The third shows the gradual increase and decay of soft x-rays. The duration ranges from a few seconds to an hour.

Flares propagate in the solar corona. This is the outer atmospheric layer, represented by a highly rarefied gas heated to a million degrees Celsius. Inside, the flash point rises to 10-20 million Kelvin, but can rise to 100 million Kelvin. The corona looks uneven and goes around the equator in the form of a loop. They unite areas of a powerful magnetic field - active areas. They have sunspots.

The frequency of flares converges with the one-year solar cycle. If it is minimal, then the active regions are small and rare, and there are few flares. The number grows as the star approaches its maximum.

You won't be able to see the flash in a simple view (don't try or you'll damage your eyes!). The photosphere is too bright, so it overlaps the event. For research, special tools are used. Radio and optical beams can be observed in terrestrial telescopes. But X-rays and gamma rays need spacecraft, because they do not break through the earth's atmosphere.