A cannibalistic solar flare will hit Earth at 3,027,599 km/h tonight, scientists warn
The sunspot, called AR2975, has been firing bursts of electrically charged particles from the Sun’s plasma soup since Monday (March 28). 17 solar flares were detected that arose from a single sunspot. Amidst the chaos, there were at least two coronal mass ejections: the first left the Sun at a speed of 1,259 km/s, and the second left at a much faster speed of around 1,700 km/s.
The two Earth-directed eruptions merged in a “cannibal coronal mass ejection” and scientists warn that they are approaching us at 3,027,599 km/h.
What is a cannibal EMC
Cannibalistic coronal mass ejections occur when high-speed solar flares catch up with earlier, slower flares in the same region of space. The ejected material carries charged particles and joins with others to generate a combined giant wavefront that sets off a powerful geomagnetic storm.
Cannibal CMEs have larger and more complex structures than typical coronal mass ejections, giving rise to so-called ‘complex ejection’ CME clouds. These can trigger intense geomagnetic storms when they hit Earth.
What effects will it have on Earth?
When it collides with the Earth’s magnetic field, it will cause a powerful geomagnetic storm G3 according to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
When ECMs hit Earth, the planet’s magnetic field is slightly compressed by waves of highly energetic particles, which ripple the magnetic field lines and stir molecules in the atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of light to create colorful auroras in the night sky. Ç
According to the Met Office Northern Lights Forecast, sightings of northern lights can occur as far south as Scotland, Northern Ireland and other parts of northern Europe. While in the southern hemisphere, the aurora can reach up to 55° south.
G3 Storms May Cause “Intermittent Low Frequency Radio Navigation and Satellite Navigation Problems” according to SWPC . A recent storm in February sent 40 Starlink satellites to Earth, and scientists have warned that an even larger one could have the potential to bring the Internet to a halt worldwide.
The sun is at maximum activity
The Sun, which follows an 11-year activity cycle, is currently in the midst of a very active period. Known as Solar Cycle 25, this period began in 2020 and has seen a steady increase in solar activity.
It is unclear whether solar activity will continue to increase as the current cycle progresses, but if it does, we can expect more visible sunspots, more solar flares, and more Earth-directed CMEs in the future.
The biggest solar storm in history
Scientists believe that the largest solar storm ever witnessed during contemporary history was the Carrington Event of 1859, which transported approximately the same energy as 10 billion 1-megaton atomic bombs. After colliding with Earth, the powerful stream of solar particles destroyed telegram systems across the world and caused auroras brighter than the light of a full moon to appear as far south as the Caribbean.
It may interest you:
The solar orbiter detects a giant solar flare