Published 8 months ago • loading... • Updated 8 months ago
X4.2 Solar Flare Triggers Radio Blackouts Across Africa, Europe
Sunspot AR 4366 produced at least five X-class flares over three days, causing strong radio blackouts and raising alerts for satellite and navigation disruptions, NOAA said.
On Wednesday, an impulsive X4.2 flare from sunspot Region 4366 occurred at 04/1213 UTC, sending intense radiation that degraded high-frequency communications.
Spaceweather.com called Region 4366 a "solar flare factory" after its Jan. 30 emergence; it rapidly grew into an Earth-facing, magnetically complex cluster many times Earth's size.
Data show a tight cluster of strong flares from Region 4366, which has produced 21 C-class, 38 M-class, and five X-class flares; NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured imagery of these events.
The Space Weather Prediction Center warned that high-frequency radio users may lose contact for minutes to hours and issued a G1 geomagnetic storm watch, noting possible weak power-grid fluctuations and increased aurora chances.
Forecasters say the CME's orientation will decide how strong impacts become, with models suggesting most material will pass north and east of Earth but could graze it around Feb. 5, and agencies are monitoring through Feb. 6.
At least five large-port solar eruptions were recorded in a period of less than three days by Nassa satellites, in an episode considered uncommon by intensity and frequency. The explosions, all classified as class X — the highest level on the scale of solar eruptions — were originating in the active region AR 4366, an extended solar shortage that follows in intensive activity. Sol has 4 major explosions in series; understand what is a solar erup…