Radio blackouts were caused by a strong solar flare from the Sun.
In the early hours of Saturday EST, the Sun released a powerful solar flare. NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory captured the same.
Solar flares are strong eruptions of electromagnetic radiation that originate from a region of the Sun with a strong magnetic field. The high-intensity magnet field temporarily stops convection on the solar surface and cools the area. It is also known as a sunspot when it can be seen from a distance.
Solar flares and sunspots
For centuries, solar scientists have studied sunspots in an effort to understand the star. We now know from their observations that sunspots are more common as the Sun nears the peak of its solar cycles.
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Each 11 years, the Sun flips its Poles. This causes intense solar activity and the release of solar flares. It is divided into different classes based on its intensity. A, B and C are used to denote low intensity flares. M-class flares are moderate in intensity.
X-Class is reserved for high-intensity flares. On Saturday, an X1.1-class event was observed at 1048 EST (1548 GMT). The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration operates the Space Weather Prediction Center, (SWPC). Administration (NOAA) states that the flare was caused by the sunspot AR 3217.
The powerful flare caused a radio blackout over South America.https://t.co/FD5aDsm684
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Another active region, 3213 released an M-class, or medium-intensity, solar flare last week. This caused radio blackouts in the Pacific Ocean. The flares are extremely energetic and can disrupt molecules in the upper layers. This causes a loss in signal strength for radio communications and navigational devices.
The more intense the flare is, the greater disruption it causes. Radio blackouts were caused by the recent solar flare that occurred over South America on Saturday. More solar flares will be seen as the Sun nears its peak solar cycle, which is expected to occur in 2025. The SWPC states that AR3217 could lead to more frequent degradation events in high frequency communication (3-30 MHz).
However, high-intensity sunspots are not always bad. Their energy can also be responsible for the formation of auroras that are visible farther away from the poles.
