US EditionSolar Flares May Be 6.5 Times Hotter than Previously Thought
The University of St Andrews team found ions in solar flares reach over 60 million degrees Celsius, 6.5 times hotter than electrons, explaining spectral line anomalies.
- New research from the University of St Andrews shows ions in solar flares can reach 60 million degrees, appearing 6.5 times hotter than previously thought, The Astrophysical Journal Letters reported on September 3, 2025.
- A long-standing puzzle has prompted fresh analysis as solar physicists have wrestled with flare spectral lines broader than models predicted, historically blaming turbulence in the solar atmosphere despite its elusive nature.
- Russell noted that `Solar physics has historically assumed that ions and electrons must have the same temperature`, but the team found ion–electron temperature differences can persist for tens of minutes in key flare regions.
- Space agencies and satellite operators may use the results to refine forecasts, enabling more accurate models to alert astronauts and space missions and improve spacecraft shielding and radiation assessment.
- The team is already planning follow-up observations with NASA's MUSE and EUVST and developing computer models of flaring loops with stronger ion heating.
11 Articles
11 Articles
New study challenges long-held assumption about solar flares
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an M7.3 class solar flare on 2 October 2014. The solar flare is the bright flash of light on the right limb of the sun. A burst of solar material erupting out into space can be seen just below it. Credit: NASA/Goddard/SDO Solar flares are sudden, massive explosions of electromagnetic radiation released from the Sun’s outer atmosphere and can last anywhere from minutes to hours. These event…
Solar flares may be 6.5 times hotter than previously thought
New research from the University of St Andrews has proposed that particles in solar flares are 6.5 times hotter than previously thought. The research provides an unexpected solution to a 50-year-old mystery about our nearest star.
Solar Flares Are Way Hotter Than Anyone Expected—Here’s Why That’s a Big Deal
New findings published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters suggest that solar flares—massive explosions of energy in the Sun’s atmosphere—may be up to 6.5 times hotter than scientists previously believed. The study, led by Dr. Alexander Russell from the University of St Andrews, presents a potential breakthrough in solving a 50-year-old puzzle in solar physics, challenging long-standing assumptions about how energy is distributed in the Sun’s p…
Solar flares may be 6.5 times hotter than previously thought - Tech and Science Post
New research from the University of St Andrews has proposed that particles in solar flares are 6.5 times hotter than previously thought. The research provides an unexpected solution to a 50-year-old mystery about our nearest star. Solar flares are sudden and huge releases of energy in the sun’s outer atmosphere that heat parts of it to greater than 10 million degrees. These dramatic events greatly increase the solar X-rays and radiation reaching…
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