Updated: August 10, 2020 9:20:41 AM
Solar flares are the result of changes in magnetic fields on the sunspots that cause a huge explosion (Source: NASA)
If you think the year 2020 is through with its share of bad news, there is a massive sunspot on the sun that will turn towards our planet, which could result in big strong torches. According to a report by stempweather.com, the solar pot AR2770, which was dropped earlier this week, is expected to grow in size. Few small torches are emitted by this particular solar pot which has already caused nothing more important than “small waves of ionization by rippling the earth’s upper atmosphere”.
However, if this sunspot reaches up to 50,000 kilometers in diameter, it can release an enormous amount of energy, which in turn will lead to solar flames. These eruptions can lead to solar flares and storms. This phenomenon is called Coronal Mass Ejections (CME). These flares can have a major impact on radio communications, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) connectivity, power grids and satellites.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), CMEs can result in “fluctuations of electrical currents in space and trigger electrons and protons trapped in the Earth’s alternating magnetic field”. Solar flares caused by these CMEs can also trigger intense light in the air, called auroras.
What is a sunspot?
A sunspot is a dark area on the sun that appears dark on the surface and is relatively cooler than the other parts. These sunspots have electrically charged gases that generate areas of strong magnetic forces. The gases on our sun are constantly moving, causing irregularities in this ‘magnetic field’. These activities are also called ‘solar activity’. The levels of solar activity do not remain the same and differ from one solar cycle to another.
What is a sunbeam?
Solar flares are the result of changes in magnetic fields on the sunspots that cause an enormous explosion. These solar flames are often released into space and their radiation can be disturbed by radio communication from Earth. The energy from the explosion of solar flames could be equivalent to a trillion ‘Little Boy’ atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
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Scientists recently developed a new model that can successfully predict seven of the sun’s largest torches from the last solar cycle, out of a set of nine using NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory
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