The first flash, recorded at 09:10 GMT, was the most powerful since 2015, but it was soon eclipsed by a second ejection. A flare erupted from a large sunspot, which was assigned the X9.3 class by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Center for Space Weather Prediction. The last time an X9-class flare was seen by astronomers was in 2009. The current outbreak occurred at a point that is located towards the Earth, so its impact on the planet can be maximum.

“Events of this power are among the largest that our star is only capable of producing and which are formed only under very rare, unique conditions, as a rule, at the stage of peak solar activity,” said the Laboratory of Solar X-Ray Astronomy of the Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Why an outbreak of this level occurred now, against the backdrop of a solar minimum, scientists have yet to figure out.

In total, flares are divided into five classes: A, B, C, M and X, which differ in the power of X-rays.

According to the center, the outbreaks were accompanied by disruptions in radio communications. High-frequency communication on the sunny side of the Earth worked with disturbances for an hour, as did the low-frequency communication used for navigation.

Solar flares occur when the Sun's magnetic field, which forms dark spots on the surface of a star, twists and releases energy, overheating the star's surface. In addition to interfering with radio communications at various frequencies, Class X flares can cause radiation storms in the Earth's upper atmosphere. In addition, during such flares, the Sun can eject a cloud of charged plasma, which astronomers call a coronal mass ejection.

“The flares were accompanied by radio signals that spoke of a possible coronal mass ejection. However, we will have to wait for the results of the coronagraph to find out if it was this time or not, ”Space.com quotes the words of Rob Steenberg, a center specialist.

The sunspot in the active solar region 2673 is the second largest and can accommodate seven of our planets in width and nine in height. On September 5, the same spot released a class M solar flare, which was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection directed towards the Earth. A cloud of charged plasma that will reach our planet in 3 or 4 days could damage satellites as well as power and communications systems.

Despite such events, scientists say that the Sun is approaching an 11-year minimum of its activity.

“We are moving towards a solar minimum, so these events are especially interesting, they just won’t happen as often. Class X outbreaks will not become a weekly event, but despite the fact that activity will fall, their potential strength will not decrease, ”Stenberg emphasized.

The expectation of a class X solar flare prompted a number of media outlets to recall the famous "Carrington Event" - the most powerful solar storm in history, which occurred in September 1859. Then the British astronomer Richard Carrington recorded a powerful flare, which was also accompanied by a coronal mass ejection directed towards the Earth. Aurora borealis were so intense around the world that you could read newspapers in their glow, as in daylight, NASA historians describe those events.

Northern lights were then observed even in tropical latitudes over Cuba, the Bahamas, Jamaica, El Salvador and Hawaii.

In the pre-electric year of 1859, the most significant consequence of the "Carrington Event" was the failure of telegraph systems in Europe and North America. However, if such an outbreak and coronal ejection happened today, the consequences could be much more tangible.

• Northern lights.

Some experts believe that if this event repeats, the inhabitants of the Earth should expect a simultaneous failure of cellular communications, GPS systems and power supply. A separate task would be the simultaneous mass landing of aircraft in the absence of satellite positioning. Cascading blackouts would follow.

It is believed that the cosmonauts who are at this time in near-Earth orbit would be in particular danger. In the case of working outside the station or spacecraft, they would have only a few minutes after the first flash of light in order to hide inside from the shower of solar particles in time.

According to NASA calculations, a repeat of the Carrington Event at this level of development would inflict losses of up to $ 2 trillion on humanity, and it would take about 10 years for a full recovery.

Only a complete renewal of the Earth's satellite fleet would require about $70 billion.

19:52 07/09/2017

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Scientists recorded the most powerful outbreak in 12 years on the evening of Wednesday, September 6. The outburst effect was exacerbated by the fact that it occurred close to the Sun- line, from where the influence of the Sun on ours is maximum. As a result, the level of X-ray radiation was immediately increased on the Earth. Scientists agree that most of the consequences may be delayed and manifest themselves within the next few days.

How solar flares occur and how long they last, how they can threaten people and how to understand that you are subject to their influence, the iz.ru portal understood.

What it is?

At their core, solar flares are explosions, as a result of which a large amount of thermal, kinetic and light energy is ejected into the planets. Their duration is usually no more than a few minutes, however, in terms of their power, such flashes are tens of times higher than the energy of an erupting volcano.

The harbinger is the appearance of large sunspots on the Sun, which scientists can observe. Their collision leads to the emergence of an outbreak - on September 6, for example, two of the largest groups of sunspots in several years collided.

The release of a large number of charged particles into the atmosphere of the Sun creates the effect of a shock wave that rolls through interplanetary space at the speed of sound. Its power may vary depending on the power of the flash.

What is the peculiarity of the outbreak recorded on September 6?
Previously, scientists focused on optical signs, trying to somehow characterize the outbreak. Now the world has adopted a unified scale.

Flares produce X-rays that the Sun normally does not produce. Therefore, if such flows begin to arrive, we can confidently say that an outbreak is occurring. The stronger the radiation fluxes, the stronger the flares occur, - says Sergey Bogachev, chief researcher at the Laboratory of X-ray Solar Astronomy of the Lebedev Physical Institute.

In this case, the level of X-ray radiation indicates the letter of the Latin alphabet preceding the number. The minimum level is indicated by the letter A, with each subsequent letter the radiation power increases by 10 times. The outbreak that occurred the day before was rated at X9.3 points.

The highest is the letter X. That is, it cannot be higher, this is actually the limit of this scale, - says Sergey Bogachev.

What influences solar activity?

At risk are astronauts in orbit, who, among other things, may face a radiation dose. In addition, powerful flashes can lead to interruptions in the operation of automation and navigation equipment (as happened the day before) or damage communication satellites.

Spacecraft are not protected by the Earth's atmosphere or the gravitational field, so in the coming days they are likely to operate in high-risk conditions, there is a possibility of failure, explains Sergey Bogachev.

On Earth, the effect of this flash will also be felt, but only its echoes will most likely reach us. The atmosphere and magnetic field protect the planet from solar influence. These two "shields", according to Sergei Bogachev, should work correctly this time as well. However, upon reaching the Earth's atmosphere, the "shock wave" will provoke fluctuations that will lead to the emergence of magnetic storms - and weather-sensitive people will feel them. Be prepared for the fact that the consequences may be felt until the end of this week.

Flash has already been studied. It can be seen that the next three days will be days of increased geomagnetic tension, the expert noted.

Another, less well-known consequence of a solar flare is the emergence of the northern lights: the Earth's magnetic field begins to glow, having taken the impact of the solar "wave".

How to understand that you are weather dependent?

The sensitivity of people to weather phenomena is not a myth. First of all, people with cardiovascular diseases suffer from them. However, everyone can react to magnetic storms in different ways. Also, if someone "feels" the flare up right away, for some, the effect can be delayed for up to a few days.

In order to understand whether you are affected by solar activity and how much, it will take some time to observe your condition. If you periodically suffer from insomnia, headaches, pressure drops, and malaise most often happens unexpectedly and for no apparent reason, most likely you are weather dependent.

Can you prepare for an outbreak?

It is worth paying attention to your weather dependence in order to try to take additional measures before increasing solar activity. Today, scientists can predict most of the flares - the appearance of new spots on the Sun indicates that there is an accumulation of energy, which may soon be thrown out as a result of the next "solar explosion".

Impacts on the Earth are planetary in nature. So you can't hide, but you can take precautions. Someone has a tendency to weather sensitivity, but someone does not. Those who have it usually know this about themselves. Therefore, perhaps they should just take in advance or keep at the ready the drugs that they usually take for headaches or, for example, for pressure drops, the scientist summed up.

Despite the fact that our star looks calm and constant, it can sometimes explode, releasing a huge amount of energy - astronomers call these events solar flares. Flares occur in the atmosphere of our star, as well as in the corona and chromosphere. The plasma is heated to tens of millions of degrees Kelvin, and the particles are accelerated almost to the speed of light.

In an instant, 6 x 10 * 25 J of energy is released. Space telescopes observe bright bursts of X-rays and ultraviolet radiation during the activity of our luminary.

Solar flares today and online can be viewed below, the information is posted online from the GOES 15 satellite. Their number and strength varies with the 11-year solar cycle.

The picture is updated automatically

Chart of magnetic storms online from the SWPC satellite

GOES 15 is a spacecraft with a sophisticated X-ray telescope for monitoring and early detection of solar flares, coronal mass ejections and other phenomena that affect the space weather of the Earth and the surrounding space.

Monitoring

Using the graph below, you can see the strength of solar flares for each day. Conventionally, they are divided into three classes: C, M, X, the maximum value of the red line wave characterizes the force. The maximum strength of class X.

Early warning of flares is important, as they affect not only the safety of people in orbit (in particular the ISS), but also military and commercial satellite communications. In addition, coronal mass ejections can damage long-distance electrical grids, which can lead to significant blackouts.

Outbreak data today from the GOES satellite

The dynamically updated image shows our star's X-ray data, with an update period of 5 minutes. These are indicated in orange, received in the bandwidth of 0.5-4.0 angstroms (0.05-0.4 nm), red 1-8 angstroms (0.1-0.8 nm).

When the Sun is active, they can occur quite often. Flares often go hand in hand with coronal mass ejections. 2013 will represent one of the biggest risks in human spaceflight. When a powerful coronal mass ejection is directed towards the Earth, a huge amount of radiation passes in the immediate vicinity of our planet.

Since the particles are accelerated to almost the speed of light, a dangerous storm of radiation will arrive within minutes of the solar flare.

During a massive solar storm, astronauts will have less than 15 minutes to find protection and not receive a potentially lethal dose of radiation.

This is what flashes look like up close

The most powerful flash ever recorded occurred on November 4, 2003, during the highest point of activity of our star. The luminary threw out such a huge amount of energy that it damaged the sensors on one of NASA's geostationary environmental satellites.

Data for today

On a scale that is constantly updated, there are 5 categories (according to the degree of increase in radiation power): A, B, C, M and X. Also, each flash is assigned a certain number. For the first 4 categories, this number is from 0 to 10, and for category X, it is from 0 and above.

The energy of the Sun has an ambiguous effect on our planet. It gives us warmth, but at the same time it can negatively affect people's well-being. One of the reasons for the negative impact is solar flares. How do they happen? What are the consequences?

Sun and solar flare

The sun is the only star in our system, which from it received the name "solar". It has a huge mass and, thanks to strong gravity, holds all the planets of the solar system around it. A star is a ball of helium, hydrogen and other elements (sulphur, iron, nitrogen, etc.), which are contained in a smaller amount.

The sun is the main source of light and heat on Earth. This happens as a result of constant thermonuclear reactions, which are often accompanied by flares, the appearance of black spots, coronal ejections.

Solar flares occur above black spots, radiating large amounts of energy. Their effects were formerly attributed to the action of the spots themselves. The phenomenon was discovered in 1859, but many of the processes associated with it are only being studied.

Solar flares: photo and description

The effect of the phenomenon is short - only a few minutes. In fact, a solar flare is a powerful explosion that covers all the atmospheric layers of the star. They appear as a small prominence that flares up violently, emitting X-rays, radio and ultraviolet rays.

The sun rotates around its axis unevenly. At the poles, its movement is slower than at the equator, so twisting occurs in the magnetic field. An explosion occurs when the tension in the "twisting" places is too strong. At this time, billions of megatons of energy are released. Typically, flashes occur in the neutral region between black spots of different polarity. Their character is determined by the phase of the solar cycle.

Depending on the strength of the X-ray emission and the brightness at the peak of activity, flares are divided into classes. Power is measured in watts per square meter. The strongest solar flare belongs to the X class, the average one is denoted by the letter M, and the weak one is C. Each of them differs from the previous one by 10 times in rank.

Impact on the Earth

It takes approximately 7-10 minutes before the Earth feels the effects of the explosion on the Sun. During the flare, plasma is ejected along with the radiation, which is formed into plasma clouds. The solar wind carries them to the sides of the Earth, causing on our planet

In outer space, an explosion increases, which can affect the health of astronauts, it can also affect people flying in an airplane. The electromagnetic wave from the flash causes interference to satellites and other equipment.

On Earth, outbreaks can greatly affect people's well-being. This is manifested in the lack of concentration, pressure drops, headaches, slowing down of brain activity. People with weakened immune systems, mental disorders, cardiovascular disorders and chronic diseases are especially sensitive to the activity of the sun on themselves.

Technique is also sensitive. A class X solar flare is capable of knocking out radio devices all over the Earth, the average power of the explosion affects mainly the polar regions.

Monitoring

The most powerful solar flare occurred in 1859, often referred to as the Solar Superstorm or the Carrington Event. Astronomer Richard Carrington was lucky enough to notice it, after whom the phenomenon was named. The flash caused the Northern Lights, which could be seen even in the Caribbean islands, and the telegraph communication system of North America and Europe instantly went out of order.

Storms like the Carrington event occur once every 500 years. Consequences for human life can also occur with minor outbreaks, so scientists are interested in predicting them. Predicting solar activity is not easy, since the structure of our star is very unstable.

NASA is actively engaged in research in this area. Using the analysis of the solar magnetic field, scientists have already learned to learn about the next outbreak, but it is still impossible to make accurate predictions. All predictions are very approximate and report "sunny weather" only for short periods, up to a maximum of 3 days.

solar flares- these are processes of energy release (light, thermal and kinetic), unique in their power, in the atmosphere of the Sun. Flashes one way or another cover all layers of the solar atmosphere: photosphere, chromosphere and solar corona. Duration solar flares often does not exceed several minutes, and the amount of energy released during this time can reach billions of megatons in TNT equivalent. solar flares, as a rule, occur at the points of interaction of sunspots of opposite magnetic polarity, or, more precisely, near the neutral line of the magnetic field separating the regions of north and south polarity. Frequency and power solar flares depend on the phase of the solar cycle.

Energy solar flare manifests itself in many forms: in the form of radiation (optical, ultraviolet, X-ray and even gamma), in the form of energetic particles (protons and electrons), as well as in the form of hydrodynamic plasma flows. Power outbreaks often determined by the brightness of the x-rays they produce. The strongest solar flares belong to X-ray class X. To class M belong solar flares, which have a radiation power 10 times less than outbreaks class X, and to class C - outbreaks with 10 times less power than class M flares. The current classification solar flares is based on observational data from several artificial Earth satellites, mainly from GOES satellites.

Observations of solar flares in the H-alpha line

solar flares are often observed using filters that make it possible to isolate the H-alpha line of the hydrogen atom located in the red region of the spectrum from the total radiation flux. Telescopes operating in the H-alpha line are now installed in most ground-based solar observatories, some of which take photographs of the Sun in this line every few seconds. An example of such a photograph is the image of the Sun shown above this text, taken in the H-alpha line at the Big Bear Solar Observatory. It clearly shows the ejection of a solar prominence during a limbic solar flare October 10, 1971 Movie (4.2MB mpeg) recorded during outbreaks, shows this process in dynamics.

In the H-alpha line, so-called two-ribbon solar flares, when two extended bright radiating structures are formed in the chromosphere during a flare, having the form of parallel ribbons elongated along the neutral line of the magnetic field (the line separating groups of sunspots of opposite polarity). A characteristic example double ribbon solar flare is the event of August 7, 1972 shown in the following movie (2.2MB mpeg) . This is very famous flash, which occurred between the flights of Apollo 16 (April) and Apollo 17 (December), the last trips of a man to the moon. If an error were made in the calculation of the flight time, and one of the crews would be on the surface of the Moon during this outbreaks, the consequences would be disastrous for the astronauts. Subsequently, this possible situation formed the basis of the fantastic work "Cosmos" ("Space") by James Michener (James Michener), which described the fictitious Apollo mission, which lost its crew due to exposure to radiation from strong solar flare.

Solar flares and magnetic fields

At present, there is no doubt that the key to understanding solar flares should be sought in the structure and dynamics of the solar magnetic field. It is known that if the structure of the field in the vicinity of sunspots becomes very complex, then the lines of force can begin to reconnect with each other, which leads to the rapid release of magnetic energy and the energy of electric currents associated with the magnetic field. As a result of various physical processes, this primary energy of the field is then converted into the thermal energy of the plasma, the energy of fast particles and other forms of energy observed in a solar flare. The study of these processes and the establishment of the reasons why solar flare, is one of the main problems of modern solar physics, which is still far from a final answer.