Wednesday, August 16, 2023

A ‘Cannibal’ solar explosion might hit Earth today, cutting off radio, power and satellites

 The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned about a cannibal, coronal mass ejection that is heading towards the Earth and can cause a strong solar storm today.

  • According to a report on the SpaceWeather website, “A new NOAA model shows the two CMEs leaving the sun on August 5, then merging to form a single cannibal CME that delivers a glancing blow to earth on August 8. These cannibal CMEs are famous for causing strong geomagnetic storm, and even a glancing blow can be effective.”


NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is a space satellite that was launched on December 2, 1995, to observe the Sun. It is a joint project between NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) to study the Sun, its atmosphere and its effect on the solar system.

It is equipped with 12 scientific instruments, such as Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) LASCO (Large Angle and Spectometric Coronagraph), and others.

  • When a CME hits the earth, it has the potential to cause a geomagnetic storm which can disrupt the planet's magnetosphere, our radio transmissions and electrical power lines.
  • They can also damage the artificial satellites and cause long-lasting power outages. 

At the moment, it is not confirmed whether the hit will be a head-on collision or a glancing blow. Researchers are keeping a close eye on the clouds to understand the situation.

Cannibal coronal mass ejections (CME) take place when speeding solar eruptions overtake earlier eruptions in the same region of space, combining with the charged particles to form a giant, combined wavefront that triggers a powerful geomagnetic storm.

  • This always has a higher electromagnetic output and can cause damage to satellites and communications systems. 
  • According to the NOAA, an X1.6 solar flare released two powerful coronal mass ejections on August 5 and now they have become more “terrifying”.
  • This CME has been said to be “cannibalistic” in nature, which is an event rarer than a regular CME as it occurs when a fast coronal mass ejection consumes a smaller one on its way to Earth, forming a large wave of plasma.
  • Cannibal CMEs are increasing as the Sun’s 11-year-old cycle peaks ahead of the next one, which will begin in 2025.
at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun

  A   solar eclipse   occurs when the   Moon   passes between   Earth   and the   Sun , thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small p...