the year of 2023 started with a unstable and huge sunspot that already caused a intense solar flare on the Sun’s surface and is subject to flare up again. As one of the functions of Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) It is frequently monitor the sunit was possible to make an image of this solar event.
Additionally, the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) yes National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) identified such solar flare as an X1.2 class. Solar flares classified as “X” are considered type more intense and easily present ability to damage communication technologies, satellites and even power grids.
Eruptions classified as type “X” also cause geomagnetic storms by affecting the magnetic field of planet Earth.
This explosion was the most powerful seen since at least October last year. Despite being characterized as X1, the scientists stated that it still was considered at the lower end of the “X” scale. Therefore No complaints of immediate damage related to the explosion have yet been filed.except for the “blackout” of short wave radio in some regions of the Australia and the South Pacific.
What a busy first week we had this year! For this #SunDay round up, we observed 5 solar flares, 26 CMEs, and no geomagnetic storms. The following video is from NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory, showing the Sun’s activity over the past week. pic.twitter.com/M5TfRmM0kg
— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) January 8, 2023
This blackout exception was due to the energy accumulated at the time of the solar flare which traveled towards Earth at approximately the speed of light, reaching the planet in just eight minutes. That case was still considered a brief explosion; but, certainly there are more sunspots, due to their size and apparent complexity.
There is a good chance the explosions will continue for the next few days, with at least a 10% chance of more “X” type explosions, said former NASA astronomer Tony Phillips.
Powerful explosions are often accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that can cause various infrastructure damagein addition to displaying bright dawnspreviously observed at higher latitudes when they directly hit planet Earth.
As Hot plasma CMEs can be launched – more slowly – towards the Earth, and it may take up to a few days to reach us. However, until now no case has been reported of CME after the solar flare at the beginning of the year. Interestingly, in the week before this event, the sunspot was detected to have released powerful flares and CMEs. on the other side of the sun.
What to expect from upcoming solar activities?
That Hidden unstable sunspot was cataloged as AR 3182 and serves as a warningas it is rotating in the direct line of planet Earth and can represent future damagesince CMEs can be aimed directly at Earth.
Also, scientists may not have reported CMEs after this intense solar flare; but it is important to point out that solar activity is considerably on the rise as part of the solar cyclewhich is expected to reach its peak in two years’ time, in 2025.
Even though, we should be aware of upcoming solar activitiessince the first week of this year was quite intense, with the observation of five solar flares and twenty-six CMEs, although there were no geomagnetic storms. It’s possible track space weather and upcoming solar flares through the SWPC by NOAAwhich has constant information from its meteorological satellites.
