Active Sunspot Regions: DLR Warns of Possible Solar Storm
Particularly active sunspots have been discovered on the surface of the sun. A solar storm could occur, which can be very strong.
The sun: The three active sunspots appear as a bright region in the lower left half of the image.
(Image: NOAA SWPC)
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is warning of a possible, strong solar storm in the coming days. Particularly active sunspots have been observed on the sun.
Last weekend, several particularly active sunspot regions appeared on the eastern solar horizon, the DLR announced. These are currently moving towards the center of the solar disk as viewed from Earth. If strong eruptions occur in the coming days, they could "at least partially be directed towards Earth."
Sunspots are active regions on the solar surface with complex magnetic fields. In solar physics, they are considered the main sources of solar eruptions: flares – which are plasma magnetic arches – or coronal mass ejections (CME), in which charged particles are ejected into space.
What is approaching Earth?
According to the DLR, if CMEs occur, the ionosphere will first be affected by X-ray and UV radiation. About one to two days later, a plasma cloud could brush or hit the Earth's magnetic field. Then there is the danger of a geomagnetic storm, which could disrupt satellites, communication, and power grids, explains the DLR Institute for Solar-Terrestrial Physics. However, there will also be a chance to see auroras at our latitudes – with clear skies –.
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The active regions AR 4294, 4296, and 4298 now observed together have the size of the sunspot region that British astronomer Richard Carrington observed on September 1, 1859. The subsequent Carrington Event is considered the strongest solar storm observed to date. The auroras that occurred were visible almost to the equator. The telegraph network at the time was disrupted, and induced voltages even caused fires.
(wpl)
