Articles tagged with Solar Flares
An international research team has solved a 178-year-old mystery surrounding a train delay in Exeter, England, caused by a massive solar flare and coronal mass ejection in 1859. The team found that the incident most likely took place on October 18, 1848, rather than 1841, providing new insights into the earliest examples of space weath...
Researchers at Lancaster University have re-examined the 178-year-old mystery of a train delay in Exeter, dating back to 1841, and found it actually occurred in 1848 due to geomagnetic disturbance from the sun. The study shows that space weather has been disrupting technology for almost as long as electrical technologies have existed.
Researchers found a statistical relationship between the size of sunspots and the energy released during flares, suggesting that superflares can occur in rare cases
The BepiColombo mission has provided unprecedented measurements of Mercury's particle bombardment, revealing a wide area affected by highly energetic particles. The planet's magnetic field and atmosphere play a crucial role in protecting it from these particles, which generate X-ray radiation and provide insights into Mercury's evolution.
A new AI model, EarlyDetect, can detect precursor signals of active region emergence in the Sun's acoustic activity and magnetic field, forecasting solar eruptions nearly nine hours in advance. This technology has the potential to allow satellite communications companies or power grid companies to prepare for solar storms.
Researchers warn of the scale of radiation risks to passengers, crew and onboard systems during extreme space weather events. The study proposes a new atmospheric radiation scale to help support more informed decision-making in aviation.
Researchers used the NSF Inouye Solar Telescope to capture high-resolution images of swirling vortices in the sun's photosphere, which are believed to be the 'engine' driving twisting magnetic field lines. This discovery could fundamentally change our understanding of solar dynamics and evolution.
A geomagnetic storm highlighted weaknesses in UK infrastructure, with scientists calling for better monitoring and forecasting to protect critical systems. The May 2024 storm caused relatively minor disruption but was a one-in-13-year event, highlighting the need for improved preparedness.
Scientists predict Solar Cycle 26's strength by analyzing sunspots at a newly-identified 'switch-off' point. This method gives a longer lead time than current methods, allowing for potential improvements in understanding the solar dynamo and predicting space weather.
The report outlines risk scenarios on Earth, at sea, and in space, analyzing the fragility of interconnected digital systems. Experts call for coordinated action between countries to improve digital resilience and protect essential services.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research investigated how solar prominences form and what secrets their longevity holds. They found that multiple processes create a balance between material loss and supply, driven by magnetic fields and temperature gradients in the Sun's atmosphere.
Researchers from OIST used medieval records and buried trees to identify a sub-extreme solar proton event between winter 1200 CE and spring 1201 CE. They also reconstructed the Sun's activity cycle, which was shorter than today's eleven-year cycles.
Scientists in Japan developed a high-resolution X-ray telescope using precision mirror-making technology, capable of distinguishing objects 3.5 mm wide from 1 km away. The telescope was tested on the ground using a unique evaluation system before launch on the FOXSI sounding rocket mission.
The University of Michigan's new solar particle forecasting technology has been integrated into NASA's Artemis II mission to provide situational awareness of impending harmful radiation released during solar flares and eruptions. The machine-learning model uses satellite images of the sun and corona to forecast solar particle storms up...
Researchers at NJIT analyzed nearly three decades of solar oscillation data to trace the Sun's magnetic engine, revealing a butterfly-shaped flow pattern in the deep solar interior. The findings point to the likely location of the star's magnetic engine deep beneath its surface, roughly 200,000 kilometers down.
A recent study revealed that the solar superstorm caused a dramatic increase in electrons in two distinct layers of Mars' atmosphere at altitudes of around 110 and 130 km. The storm also triggered computer errors for both orbiters, but they recovered quickly due to their radiation-resistant components.
A new tool developed by Southwest Research Institute and National Science Foundation's National Center for Atmospheric Research provides a first step toward forecasting space weather weeks in advance. The PINNBARDS framework connects surface observations of solar active regions to deep solar magnetic dynamics, offering potential for su...
A team of scientists used Solar Orbiter's instruments to capture a large solar flare in unprecedented detail. The observations revealed that the flare was triggered by initially weak disturbances that quickly became more violent, creating a 'sky' of raining plasma blobs.
Astronomers have created a naturally occurring space weather station around complex periodic variable M dwarf stars to study the environment of planets. This discovery sheds new light on how stars affect their planets' makeup and might provide clues about the habitability of distant worlds.
Researchers at NJIT's Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research have pinpointed a previously unknown class of high-energy particles in the Sun's upper atmosphere responsible for generating intense gamma-ray signals during major solar flare events. These particles, energized to millions of electron volts, are linked to bremsstrahlung emissi...
The PUNCH mission has made significant advancements in imaging the Sun's outer atmosphere and solar wind. The spacecraft has tracked enormous coronal mass ejections, providing a unique view of space weather events and their impact on our planet.
A SwRI-led study finds that quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) in solar flares are driven by dynamic oscillations in magnetic reconnection. This research could help refine traditional solar flare models, providing new insights into the mechanisms driving space weather.
SOHO has provided a nearly continuous record of our Sun's activity for close to three 11-year-long solar cycles. The mission has overcome challenges, including a critical error and failed gyroscopes, but continues to produce high-quality data on a daily basis.
Scientists at NJIT's Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research tracked the impact of recent X-class solar flares on Earth's upper atmosphere. The flares triggered radio blackouts across Africa and Europe, producing auroras that reached unusually low latitudes, including as far south as Florida.
Researchers from Kyoto University have found multi-temperature coronal mass ejections from a young solar analogue, suggesting frequent strong CMEs could have driven life emergence on early planets. The study used simultaneous space- and ground-based observations to capture hot and cool plasma components.
A team from China uses the Chashan Broadband Solar Radio Spectrometer to record periodic beaded stripes during a large solar flare, revealing fast and small-scale processes in the Sun's atmosphere. The discovery sheds new light on the physical origins of fine spectral structures.
Scientists at University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy have discovered a new explanation for the formation of solar rain in the Sun's corona. By allowing elemental abundances to change over time, their models finally match observed phenomena, providing fresh insights into coronal heating and the Sun's behavior during flares.
The European Space Agency-led Solar Orbiter mission has split energetic particles into two groups, tracing them back to distinct solar outbursts. Researchers found that one type of particle is connected to intense solar flares and the other to larger coronal mass ejections.
Surya is a visual AI model trained on massive amounts of solar data, leveraging NASA's deep scientific expertise in cutting-edge AI models. The system aims to determine the Sun's magnetic field generation and structure, as well as its impact on the heliosphere and geospace.
Astronomers captured dark coronal loop strands with unprecedented clarity during an X1.3-class flare, measuring 48.2 km in width, the smallest ever imaged. The team's high-resolution images offer a potential breakthrough in resolving the fundamental scale of solar coronal loops and improving space weather forecasting.
A recent study published in Nature Astronomy confirmed decades-old theoretical models of magnetic reconnection in the solar corona, using data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe. The research provides new insights into the process that drives solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can impact technology on Earth.
The UK is launching its first solar storm monitor, UK-ODESSI, to strengthen its position in space weather observation and forecasting. The mission will deploy a suite of homegrown scientific instruments on a low-cost spacecraft in low-Earth orbit, including a coronagraph and high-energy particle instrument.
A new study reveals a connection between solar flares and short-term weather patterns on exoplanets. The research found that sudden outbursts of radiation from stars can cause measurable changes in a planet's climate within days.
A powerful Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) erupted from the Sun, initiating a severe geomagnetic storm alert for Earth. The event was observed by NRL's space-based instrumentation and highlighted the importance of CME research in understanding the conditions of the Earth's magnetosphere.
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking adaptive optics system that removes blur from images of the Sun's corona, revealing clearest images to date. The technology has produced remarkable observations of fine-structure in the corona, including raindrops and turbulent internal flows.
A new study by SwRI scientists reveals that solar energetic particles (SEPs) can be twice as fast as the solar wind and are more effectively accelerated to higher energies due to their distinct velocity distribution. This discovery is crucial for understanding radiation hazards to astronauts.
A new study reveals that sporadic E layers were significantly enhanced during the recovery phase of the 2024 Mother's Day super geomagnetic storm. The phenomenon, which appears as thin and dense patches of ionized metals, was detected mainly over Southeast Asia, Australia, the South Pacific, and the East Pacific.
A new £5 million project will tackle fundamental questions in solar physics by simulating the Sun's radiation and atmospheric conditions. The Solar Atmospheric Modelling Suite (SAMS) aims to build a next-generation modelling tool for the solar atmosphere, capturing its complex dynamics.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team identified a rare helium isotope (³He) emitted from the Sun, with a concentration 200,000 times higher than usual. The unusual occurrence supports earlier theories suggesting weak magnetic field strength and minimal turbulence in the plasma.
Scientists at the University of Birmingham warn that increasing CO2 levels could lead to a decrease in 'space sustainability' due to changes in the Earth's upper atmosphere. The research suggests that as the atmosphere cools, it contracts, reducing satellite density and potentially increasing the risk of collisions.
A Michigan State University researcher has developed a breakthrough model that sheds light on solar storms and their impact on space weather. The model, predicting particle acceleration and escape across a range of energy levels, could help scientists study cosmic rays emitted in supernova explosions.
Scientists have identified flickering loops in the solar atmosphere that signal impending solar flares. The loops' brightness variability can be measured to predict flares with up to 80% accuracy, potentially providing 2-6 hours of warning time for astronauts and technology.
A new study reveals that sun-like stars experience superflares approximately once per century, releasing massive amounts of energy in short periods. This finding suggests that the Sun's long-term behavior may be more frequent than previously thought, with implications for forecasting dangerous space weather.
Researchers at University of Arizona discovered a spike in carbon-14 dating to 664 B.C., pinpointing the last known extreme solar storm event. The study provides crucial data for scientists studying sun's activity and offers insights into massive storms' effects on Earth's atmosphere.
SwRI's novel Space Weather Solar Coronagraph (SwSCOR) will provide early detection and characterization of Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs), helping to predict geomagnetic storms and protect Earth assets. The instrument suite includes rapid data reduction software, delivering processed images to NOAA forecasters within minu...
Researchers observe tiny, brilliant features in the sun's atmosphere moving at unprecedented speeds to understand solar flare creation. The study confirms a 19-year-old theory and opens doors to a deeper understanding of space weather.
The new center aims to develop AI-driven tools for predicting solar eruptions, expand space science education programs, and build a long-term dataset of sun activity. It will also establish an education program providing research opportunities for students and promoting STEM education.
The University of Texas at Arlington has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to train scientists in space physics and data science. The grant will also enable UTA to create a specialization in space physics for students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in physics.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered a link between lightning storms on Earth and high-energy electrons in space. The team found that lightning strikes can knock these 'killer electrons' out of the inner radiation belt, which could pose a threat to satellites and astronauts.
A recent study tested the standard model of solar flares by comparing computer simulations with observational data from the McMath-Pierce telescope. The researchers found a significant delay in the paired chromospheric sources, which challenges the current energy transport mechanism by electron beam. This delay suggests that other fact...
Researchers at NJIT's Institute for Space Weather Sciences and Ying Wu College of Computing are developing an AI-powered space weather forecasting system called SolarDM. The system uses synthetic vector magnetograms to provide critical data for predicting solar eruptions, which could offer a three-day forecast horizon.
A uniquely powerful geomagnetic storm led to unprecedented changes in the upper atmosphere, including location and spread of particles, composition, and temperature. These changes may pose significant risks to satellites and GPS systems, as well as impact navigation and communication technologies.
Researchers have discovered that far-ultraviolet radiation from stellar flares on red dwarf stars can be three times more energetic than previously thought. This finding challenges existing models of exoplanet habitability and suggests that many stars may pose a risk to the potential for life on planets around them.
Researchers found that Washington DC and Milwaukee have power grids particularly vulnerable to geomagnetic storms caused by solar flares and coronal mass ejections. The study highlights the need for further monitoring and modification of these areas to prevent damage during space weather events.
Researchers have spotted the first signs of the Sun's next 11-year solar cycle, which is expected to start in about six years. The detection was made using sound waves inside the Sun and shows a faint indication of Cycle 26, similar to what happened during the previous cycles.
A new study suggests that the sun's magnetic field could arise from instabilities in the outermost layers of the sun, rather than deep within. This finding may enable scientists to better forecast solar activity and space weather.
Researchers have discovered that the sun's magnetic field is generated about 20,000 miles below its surface, contradicting previous theories. This finding helps scientists better understand the sun's dynamic processes and could lead to more accurate forecasts of powerful solar storms.
An international team of researchers, including those from the University of Geneva, detected a giant magnetar eruption coming from a neutron star with an exceptionally strong magnetic field. The discovery was made using ESA's satellite INTEGRAL and confirms that magnetars are young neutron stars.
Researchers analyzed 42 superflares using two models and concluded that hydrogen recombination is the most physically plausible explanation for high levels of energy. This model is supported by flare processes described in solar flares, which are well-studied phenomena.
Researchers from the University of Helsinki used tree ring analysis to measure radiocarbon concentration after a massive solar storm, revealing new insights into atmospheric dynamics. The study provides valuable information on how to prepare for future threats from solar storms, which could disrupt electrical and mobile networks.