[samanth]

Special Thanks to Indika Perera from Warunasat

Quote:A pair of scorching explosions on the Sun's surface is sparking the biggest radiation and geomagnetic storm the Earth has experienced in five years, space weather experts said Wednesday.

The storm, expected to hit Earth early Thursday US time and last through Friday, may disrupt power grids, GPS systems and satellites, and has already forced some airlines to change their routes around the polar regions.

In addition to possibly garbling some of Earthlings' most prized gadgets, the event will likely give nighttime viewers in parts of Central Asia a prime look at the aurora borealis, or northern lights, on Thursday night.

"Space weather has gotten very interesting over the past 24 hours," said Joseph Kunches, a space weather scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The fuss began late Sunday at an active region on the Sun known as 1429, with a big solar flare that was associated with a burst of solar wind and plasma known as a coronal mass ejection that hurtled in Earth's direction at some four million miles per hour (6.4 million kilometers per hour).

Another solar flare and CME followed at 0024 GMT on March 7, setting off a strong geomagnetic and solar radiation storm, both at level three on a five-step scale.

NASA said the second flare -- classified in the potent X class -- was one of the largest of this cycle known as the solar minimum which began in early 2007, and fell in just behind a slightly stronger one which erupted in August.

"The current increase in the number of X-class flares is part of the Sun's normal 11-year solar cycle, during which activity on the Sun ramps up to solar maximum, which is expected to peak in late 2013," the US space agency said.

The solar flares alone caused brief high frequency radio blackouts that have now passed, according to NOAA.

The storm is likely "the strongest one since December 2006," Kunches said, noting, however, that the Earth experienced a stronger radio blackout last August.

"But en masse, if you put it all together with the geomagnetic effects and the solar radiation effects, I would put it on par with one at the end of the last solar cycle which was over five years ago."

Satellites, power grids and even astronauts aboard the International Space Station could be affected by the radiation storm, which may cause them to seek shelter in better protected parts of the orbiting lab as they have in the past.

"Flight surgeons in Houston's mission control center have been monitoring the solar activity and will continue to do so," NASA spokesman Mike Curie said.

"They have determined that there presently is no concern for the six crew members aboard the International Space Station."

However, Kunches said some commercial airlines have already taken actions to reroute and fly further away from the poles.

And more such storms could follow in the coming days because region 1429 is expected to stay active, he said.

Geomagnetic and radiation storms will grow more frequent as the Sun leaves its solar minimum period and moves into a solar maximum over the coming years, but people on Earth are generally protected by our planet's magnetic field.

However, some experts are concerned that because the world is more reliant on GPS and satellite technology now than it was during the last solar maximum, more disruptions to modern life are likely.

Space storms are not new. The first major solar flare was recorded by British astronomer Richard Carrington in 1859.

Other solar geomagnetic storms have been observed in recent decades. One huge solar flare in 1972 cut off long-distance telephone communication in the midwestern state of Illinois, NASA said.

Another similar flare in 1989 "provoked geomagnetic storms that disrupted electric power transmission" and caused blackouts across the Canadian province of Quebec, the US space agency said.

[samanth]

The sun's activity on March 8, 2012. A strong geomagnetic storm is racing from the sun towards Earth

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Heading our way! A Nasa handout photo shows the massive solar flare that could affect power grids, GPS and plane flights - although no incidents have so far been reported

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The X1 solar flare in a new active region on the sun, region 1429. It has let loose two M-class flares and one X-class so far. Material erupted from the sun with each flare, though due to the fact that this active region is still off to the side of the sun, they will likely have a weak effect on Earth's magnetosphere

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Restless: The sun is in a period of intense activity that will peak next year. This Nasa picture was taken on 09-03-12 (at 07:24 GMT)

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Hot stuff: An image acquired by the Solar Dynamics Observatory today that captures the sunspots with amazing clarity

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[samanth]

The sun-spot group 1429 is seen on the surface of the sun on this photo taken from Salgotarjan, 109 km northeast of Budapest, Hungary

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The explosions on the sun created a 'coronal mass ejection' which sent a large amount of charged particles into space, but they are expected to avoid Earth because the sun spots are off to the side of our star

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This flare was categorized as an X5.4, making it the second largest flare -- after an X6.9 on August 9, 2011 -- since the sun's activity segued into a period of relatively low activity called solar minimum in early 2007

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This extreme ultraviolet wavelength image provided by NASA provides another look at a solar flare, which could also force airlines to reroute

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This colour-coded image combines observations made by Nasa in several extreme ultraviolet wavelengths, highlighting a bright X-class flare toward the upper left on March 6

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[samanth]

Another Solar Geomagnetic Storm Coming March 11, 2012

On March 9, 2012 at 03:58 Universal Time (7:28 PM on March 9, PDT) the sunspot, AR 1429, (the same sunspot that gave us the X5 event of earlier this week) unleashed an M6 class solar flare. The resulting Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) will reach earth’s magnetic field at 06:49 UT (10:49 PM PDT) on the evening of March 11, 2012. When the charged solar particles emitted in a CME interact with Earth’s magnetic field, a geomagnetic storm results.

Despite concerns by some, the storm resulting from this week’s X5 solar flare has been weaker than expected. If this storm increases in strength, there is a possibility of Aurora Borealis activity, or northern lights, at moderately high latitudes. The bright Moon will however interfere with faint aurora activity. In the southern hemisphere, this aurora activity translates to Aurora Australis or southern lights.

[samanth]

What Happens During a Solar Flare?

During a solar flare, the Sun releases a burst of energy including significant amounts of ultraviolet and X-ray energy. Solar astronomers classify solar flares according to the amount of X-ray energy they release. The minor solar flares are C class flares. M class flares are the medium level, and the most energetic solar flares are the X class flares.

Solar flares are also sub-classified with a number from 1 to 9. Hence the least energetic solar flares are C1 flares and the most energetic flares are X9 flares. According to this classification scheme, an X5 solar flare is an energetic event, but not the strongest possible event, and the M6 event of this morning is of moderate strength.

Effects of Solar Storms on Earth
When a solar storm ejects material, mostly in the form of protons and electrons, from the Sun, astronomers call the resulting stream of energetic particles a Coronal Mass Ejection, or CME. If the CME is aimed towards Earth, and strikes Earth’s magnetic field, a geomagnetic storm results as the energetic protons and electrons interact with Earth’s magnetic field.

The Space weather division of the NOAA classifies geomagnetic storms from G1, minor storms, to G5, extreme storms. The NOAA website lists the possible effects on Earth of the classes of geomagnetic storms, and predicts that the storm resulting from today’s flare will reach G3 level, or a strong storm.

Damage and Blackouts Due to Solar Storms?
Extreme geomagnetic storms can interfere with power grids and cause widespread blackouts. The effects of strong geomagnetic storms are however much less severe – don’t expect widespread power outages from this storm.

The ignorance industry has generated a lot of nonsense about solar storms ending the world in 2012. These claims sometimes include claims of solar storms causing earthquakes, volcanoes, and shifting magnetic poles, and other catastrophes. All such claims are nonsense. Solar storms can not drive tectonic activity in Earth’s interior.

The Aurora Borealis or Australis, also known as the northern or southern lights, are the most visible result of geomagnetic storms. During relatively weak geomagnetic storms, the aurora are visible near the poles at high northern or southern latitudes. The stronger a particular geomagnetic storm is, the further from the poles aurora will be visible. If you live at moderately high latitudes, comparable to northern United States, you might be able to see the northern lights on the night of March 11. If it happens, enjoy.

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[satcom]

Thanks Samanth for such a great information and pics..