Earth has been hit by a series of solar storms over the past week, triggered by an explosion in the Sun a few days ago. With this, it was possible to visualize the aurora borealis at lower latitudes than normal.
This time the solar flare was moderate and the storm did not cause much concern as there is no risk of major damage to the atmosphere. The British and Americans were able to see the spectacle in the sky.
understand the event
Solar flares are explosions on the surface of the Sun caused by changes in the magnetic field, which release radiation into space in the form of particles or light.
When propagating through space, this material can generate geomagnetic (or solar) storms of varying intensity, but with the power to alter particles around the planet.
On the ground, damage to electrical and telecommunications networks can occur and cause the suspension of radio transmissions and other means. The aurora borealis can also occur at the poles or other places.
The brightness and duration of the aurora borealis are due to a chemical process in which solar plasma ionizes the nitrogen and oxygen molecules present in Earth’s atmosphere. Depending on the intensity of the event, the aurora can be pushed south and can be seen in areas other than the poles.
A new solar cycle of intense activity known as a solar maximum may cause the event to become even greater in the coming years. Each cycle is of 11 years. In this, the surface of the Sun becomes more excited, due to which a high amount of radiation is released to space.
