NOAA forecasters have warned of a solar storm that could soon hit Earth.
The sun is currently near the top of the 11-year solar cycle, which leads to frequent solar flares and coronal mass eruptions. When the cycle ends, the frequency of these phenomena will decrease. Scientists have been monitoring the sun for signs of increased activity and have issued a solar storm warning. A small G-1-class geomagnetic storm impacted the planet yesterday and we can now see a solar flare emerging from the Sun that could create a Heliocentric Mass Launch. flowers (CME) could soon hit the planet.
NOAA forecasters have revealed that a class of M4 solar flame erupted from the Sun on January 14, leaving dark plasma on the canopy of Sunspot AR3182. This debris has created a path to exit the Sun’s atmosphere and is heading towards Earth. The CME could hit Earth’s magnetic field on January 19.
NOAA report said, “A dark plasma spiral leaves sun on January 14, fueled by a double-dipped M4 class solar flare in the magnetic canopy of sunspot AR3182. The debris creates a spiral through the sun’s atmosphere, a blender-like process that throws a coronal mass exaggeration (CME) into space. NOAA analysts say the CME could deal a major blow to Earth’s magnetic field on January 19.”
Just yesterday, a geomagnetic storm hit the Earth. Thankfully, it was a minor hurricane and was classified as a Category G-1 hurricane. The shocking thing about this storm is its approach. Instead of striking with all sorts of guns, this geomagnetic storm arrives stealthily as it is embedded within the co-moving solar wind, masking some of its usual markings.
Since the CME has not yet hit Earth, the extent of potential damage cannot be determined. Still, it’s a reminder of the sun’s power and the need for continued research and monitoring to better predict and prepare for these events in the future.
To achieve this, NASA has a mission to study the rising activity of the Sun. NASA’s SunRISE mission, which stands for Solar Radio Interferometer Space Experiment, is an upcoming mission slated to launch in 2024 to study and determine how energetic particle explosions occur. Huge amounts of energy originate from the Sun and grow as they expand into space.
