The sun is made of a thin layer of a second atmosphere that is situated above the known atmosphere and the huge corona. This region of the second atmosphere is the place where most solar phenomena occur like solar flares, prominences, and coronal mass ejection reactions that may impact the Earth directly. On one hand; Sun’s energy is significant for life’s existence on Earth, but on the other hand, it can severely damage our tech instruments. Recently, a menacing cloud of coronal mass ejection has erupted from the sunspot that was recorded to be twenty times wider than Earth. This was the worst solar storm in the last 6 years.
In a recent incident, there were solar flares as a result of a sunspot eruption that had caused radio blackouts in a few parts of the world.
Backouts caused by Solar Flares
According to a report published by National Ocean Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the forecasters there was a sunspot that was named AR3354 with a beta-gamma magnetic field that erupted on July 2 in the late hours. This sunspot has caused blackouts in a few regions over the Pacific Ocean due to the released powerful X-class solar flares.
Why does a radio blackout happen?
The extreme ultraviolet radiation from the solar flare has caused a shortwave radio blackout that had ionised the Earth’s atmosphere. Blackouts can happen for several hours or several days as charged solar particles hit Earth and affect the radio communication and power grid.
The effect of X-class solar flares
Radiation storms are caused by X-class solar flares that affect satellites as well as people flying in aeroplanes. These flares are devastating as it disrupts global communication and power grids.