Solar flares in real time. Solar flares - why and how they are dangerous
Solar flares are unique in their strength and power of release of thermal, kinetic and light energy in the solar atmosphere. Duration solar flares does not exceed just a few minutes, but the colossal amount of energy released has a direct impact on the Earth and on you and me.
Consequences of solar flares
These processes in the sun are powerful explosions, forming nearby large groups of sunspots. The energy of one flare is approximately ten times higher than the energy of one volcano. At the same time, the sun ejects a special substance from its surface, which consists of charged particles. It has supersonic speed and, moving in interplanetary space, creates a shock wave, which, when colliding with our planet, causes magnetic storms.
Each of us reacts differently to solar flares. Many people “feel” them almost immediately, experiencing malaise, severe headaches, problems in the functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as disturbances in the psycho-emotional background: irritability, increased sensitivity and nervousness. The second group of people have the so-called “delayed reaction”: they react to solar flares 2-3 days after they occur.
Solar flares are bursts of energy in the sun's atmosphere to which people react differently.
Sick and weakened people suffering from jumps react most sharply to solar flares blood pressure. It is known that on days when the sun is active, the number of accidents and disasters caused by the human factor increases. The fact is that flashes in the sun reduce a person’s attention and dull his brain activity.
How to predict solar flares, and are they harmful to humans?
The intensity of solar activity has a 28-day cycle; this figure is related to the rotation of the “hot star” around its axis. During this period, a complex interconnection of higher and lower order cycles occurs. Scientists explain by this fact that solar flares, and, as a consequence, magnetic storms, most often occur in March and April, as well as in September and October.
Solar activity affects mental capacity of people. When the sun is calm, creative people experience elation and inspiration, but when the sun produces flashes, people's attention becomes dull, and they are in a depressed state, close to depression.
Researchers found interesting fact— it turns out that earthquakes, hurricanes and typhoons are formed precisely at the moment of solar flares. Therefore, in most cases, scientists predict these natural disasters based on their frequency of solar flares.What are the effects of solar flares on humans?
As a result of solar flares, the following reaction to the activity of the star is observed on Earth:
- - infrasound, which occurs at high latitudes, in areas northern lights;
- — micropulsations of our planet, which are short-period changes in the Earth’s magnetic field, they negatively affect the functioning of the human body;
- — as a result of solar flares, the intensity of ultraviolet radiation coming to the surface of our planet changes.
As a result of such reactions of nature to solar flares, the biorhythms of not only humans, but also all living things on Earth change.
Currently, many research institutes, observatories and laboratories are studying the impact of solar flares on the human body and our planet as a whole. Maybe, detailed study The behavior of the sun will help us turn its “surprises” to our benefit.
For decades now, scientists different countries are trying to figure out how to predict such natural phenomena like solar flares. Their frequency is determined by eleven-year cycles of solar activity. However, the most powerful and unpleasant manifestations of the Sun's activity overtake us, quite suddenly, to this day. This is due to the fact that solar flares can only be predicted by analyzing solar magnetic fields, which are not constant or at least minimally stable.
The influence of solar flares on outer space
Solar flares are considered the most unfavorable for space explorers. Representing the greatest degree of threat in the vastness outer space, waves of powerful explosive energy may well damage communications satellites and even spacecraft, completely disabling instruments and control systems. Flashes on, forming powerful streams protons significantly increase the level of radiation, as a result of which people in outer space can easily be exposed to strong radiation. There is some risk of exposure even for airline passengers who fly during certain periods during peak outbreak activity.
Under the Soviet Union, leading experts at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory tried to predict the possibility of solar flares, and if prerequisites for an energy explosion arose, the cosmonauts' flights were necessarily postponed. In 1968, the forecast of Soviet scientists about an upcoming solar flare, which was awarded the most high level danger - three points. Then spaceship Soyuz-3 with Georgy Beregov was landed, and after three hours they observed a powerful flare on the Sun, which would have been fatal for a person in space.
The danger of plasma clouds and classification of solar flares
Solar flares can pose a considerable danger to the inhabitants of our planet, even though the Earth is protected from them by the geomagnetic field and the atmospheric ozone layer. Each such outbreak is accompanied by a cloud of a kind of plasma and, reaching the Earth, it is this plasma that causes magnetic storms, which negatively affect almost all living organisms and disable the most powerful communication systems.
After the start of a solar flare, radiation reaches the Earth's surface within an 8-10 minute period, after which powerfully charged particles are sent towards our planet. Then, within three days, the plasma clouds reach the Earth. Peculiar blast wave collides with our planet and causes magnetic storms. The duration of each outbreak usually does not exceed several minutes, but this time and the power of the energy release are quite enough to influence the condition of the Earth and the well-being of its inhabitants.
Scientists Solar flares have been classified into five types: A, B, C, M, X. In this case, A are flares with a minimum degree of X-ray emission, and each subsequent one is 10 times more intense than the previous one. Class X flares are considered the most powerful and dangerous. Numerous scientists and researchers have noticed that even typhoons, hurricanes and earthquakes most often occur during solar activity. Therefore, the forecasts of various natural disasters often associated with solar flares.
The main types of danger from solar flares
Without exaggerating the level of influence of solar flares on the human body and well-being, it is possible to identify groups of people who are most susceptible negative impact explosions of solar system energy.
It has been proven more than once that disasters and accidents are caused by human factor increase quantitatively on days of solar flares. This is due to the fact that during such periods, brain activity is maximally weakened, and concentration is greatly dulled. In addition, for a number of people, magnetic storms are the causative agents of real torment and frustration. There are many such groups:
- People with weakened immune systems;
- Population suffering from cardiovascular diseases, migraines, surges (drops) in blood pressure;
- People with chronic diseases that worsen during each solar energy outbreak and subsequent magnetic storm;
- Population subject to periodic manifestations of insomnia, loss of appetite, restless sleep;
- Mentally unbalanced individuals.
There are some opinions, repeatedly confirmed in practice, that during magnetic storms many people begin to be bothered by old wounds, scars, damaged bones or sore joints. Also, a separate group includes those representatives who have a so-called delayed reaction to magnetic storms. These are people experiencing Negative consequences a few days after solar flares.
Many experts advise periodic medical examinations to identify chronic diseases. Since it is precisely this kind of disease that is significantly aggravated during solar flares, it will be possible, if not to prevent the upcoming illness and deterioration of health, then at least to have medicines on hand.
How scientists try to predict solar flares
Considering the degree of influence and danger from solar flares, work and attempts to find the most accurate methods for predicting this phenomenon do not stop. For quite a long time, scientists and weather forecasters considered two ways to solve the problem:
- Casual - based on predicting the next outbreak by modeling it, for which the physical mechanisms of the outbreak are carefully studied.
- Synoptic is a method that involves the study and analysis of the prerequisites and behavior of the Sun before each flare that occurs.
The fact remains undeniable that the coronal origin of solar flares and their magnetic nature are directly related. This means that for a better development of forecasting, it will most likely be necessary to link both methods together.
Solar flare, photograph of the Hinode satellite. Observed as two narrow, bright structures near the southern part of the sunspot.
A solar flare is an explosive process of release of energy (light, heat and kinetic) into. Flares in one way or another cover all layers of the solar atmosphere: the photosphere, chromosphere and solar corona. It should be noted that solar flares and coronal mass ejections are different and independent phenomena of solar activity. The energy release of a powerful solar flare can reach 6 × 10 25 joules, which is about 1 ⁄ 6 of the energy released by the Sun per second, or 160 billion megatons per second. TNT equivalent, which, for comparison, is the approximate amount of global electricity consumption over 1 million years.
Description
The duration of the pulse phase of solar flares usually does not exceed several minutes, and the amount of energy released during this time can reach billions of megatons of TNT equivalent. The flare energy is traditionally determined in the visible range of electromagnetic waves by the product of the glow area in the hydrogen emission line H α, which characterizes the heating of the lower chromosphere, and the brightness of this glow, associated with the power of the source.
IN last years A classification based on patrol uniform measurements on a series, mainly GOES, of thermal X-ray burst amplitudes in the energy range 0.5-10 keV (with a wavelength of 0.5-8 angstroms) is also often used. The classification was proposed in 1970 by D. Baker and was initially based on measurements from the Solrad satellites. According to this classification, a solar flare is assigned a score - a designation made from a Latin letter and an index behind it. The letter may be A, B, C, M or X depending on the magnitude of the peak X-ray intensity reached by the flare:
The index specifies the value of the flare intensity and can be from 1.0 to 9.9 for the letters A, B, C, M and more for the letter X. For example, a flare of M8.3 on February 12, 2010 corresponds to a peak intensity of 8. 3×10 −5 W/m2. The most powerful (as of 2010) flare recorded since 1976, which occurred on November 4, 2003, was assigned a score of X28, so its peak X-ray intensity was 28 × 10 −4 W/m 2 . It should be noted that the registration of X-ray radiation from the Sun, since it is completely absorbed by the atmosphere, became possible starting from the first launch of Sputnik 2 with the appropriate equipment, therefore data on the intensity of X-ray radiation from solar flares before 1957 are completely absent.
Measurements in different wavelength ranges reflect different processes in flares. Therefore, the correlation between two flare activity indices exists only in a statistical sense, so for individual events one index can be high and the second low and vice versa.
Solar flares typically occur where sunspots of opposite magnetic polarity interact, or more precisely, near the neutral magnetic field line separating regions of north and south polarity. The frequency and power of solar flares depend on the phase of the 11-year solar cycle.
Consequences
Solar flares are of practical importance, for example, in studying the elemental composition of the surface of a celestial body with a rarefied atmosphere or in its absence, acting as an exciter of X-ray radiation for X-ray fluorescence spectrometers installed on board spacecraft.
Hard ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from flares is the main factor responsible for the formation of the ionosphere, which can also significantly change the properties upper atmosphere: its density increases significantly, which leads to rapid decline satellite orbit altitude (up to a kilometer per day).
Plasma clouds emitted during flares lead to the occurrence of geomagnetic storms, which in a certain way affect technology and biological objects.
Forecasting
The modern forecast of solar flares is based on an analysis of the solar magnetic fields. However, the magnetic structure of the Sun is so unstable that it is currently not possible to predict a flare even a week in advance. NASA forecasts very short term, from 1 to 3 days: on calm days on the Sun, the probability of a strong flare is usually indicated in the range of 1-5%, and during active periods it only increases to 30-40%.
Watch solar flares today in real time: graph of flares and powerful solar events online, activity dynamics today, yesterday and for the month.
Flashes for today
Flashes for yesterday
Flashes for today
Flashes class C and higher There was no sun.
Thanks to the graph below, you can find out which solar flares happened Today.
Solar flare activity index per day and month
Flashes for yesterday
Solar flares yesterday
Flashes class C and higher There was no sun
Solar flare– a sudden, rapid and intense change in brightness level. It appears when magnetic energy generated in the solar atmosphere is released. The rays come out across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Energy reserves equal to millions hydrogen bombs with a simultaneous explosion of 100 megatons! The first outbreak was recorded on September 1, 1859. It was independently tracked by Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson.
Our star has a cyclic nature, during which solar flares are observed. These solar flares are characterized by colossal energy releases that affect planetary weather and the behavior and health of living organisms. But they cannot be observed without special technologies. Here you can find out the status solar flares in real time online. You can also check the sunny weather forecast for today so you know what to prepare for.
With the release of magnetic energy, electrons, protons and heavy nuclei warm up and accelerate. Typically the energy reaches 10 27 erg/s. Large events rise to 10 32 erg/s. This is 10 million times more than a volcanic eruption.
A solar flare is divided into 3 stages. The precursor is first noted when the magnetic energy is released. It is possible to record the event in soft X-rays. Next, protons and electrons are accelerated to energies above 1 MeV. The pulse stage releases radio waves, gamma rays and hard x-rays. The third shows the gradual increase and decay of soft X-rays. Duration ranges from a few seconds to an hour.
Flares propagate in the solar corona. This is the outer atmospheric layer, represented by highly rarefied gas, heated to a million degrees Celsius. Inside, the flash point rises to 10-20 million Kelvin, but can rise to 100 million Kelvin. The crown appears uneven and bends around the equator in a loop. They combine areas of powerful magnetic field - active areas. They contain sunspots.
The frequency of flares converges with the annual solar cycle. If it is minimal, then the active regions are small and rare, and there are few flares. The number increases as the star approaches its maximum.
You won't be able to see the flash in a simple overview (don't try, or you'll damage your eyesight!). The photosphere is too bright, so it overlaps the event. Special instruments are used for research. Radio and optical rays can be observed in earth-based telescopes. But X-rays and gamma rays need spacecraft because they do not penetrate the earth's atmosphere.
Just recently, news appeared throughout the media that several flares were recorded on the sun, and they will continue until Sunday. Of course, this is a phenomenon in Lately It's quite common, but that doesn't mean that much is known about it. Therefore, we decided to tell you why solar flares occur and for whom they are dangerous.
Why do solar flares occur?
This phenomenon occurs because the sun has its own magnetic field. And outbreaks occur in areas where, in confined spaces, they encounter magnetic fields opposite polarity. Even though we now understand what solar flares are, scientists still cannot predict when they will occur. Therefore, they usually take us by surprise.
Why are solar flares dangerous?
First of all, it is worth saying that solar flares are most dangerous for those in space. So during this period all astronauts receive a very large dose of radiation.
But, despite the fact that the Earth is protected by an ozone sphere, solar flares are very dangerous here too. Especially for people who have problems with the cardiovascular system. On such days, the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes increases quite significantly. In addition, magnetic storms can also cause headache, insomnia, pressure changes, changeable mood and general loss of energy.
It is worth noting that due to solar flares, magnetic storms begin on Earth, which affect people in this way. But not only that, there may also be interruptions in the operation of radio systems: communications, navigation.
It is also worth adding that many scientists are confident that geomagnetic storms can greatly affect humans. But there is no cure for this. Some pills can only worsen a person’s condition during this period.
Let's remember that in the last few days there have been two flares on the sun, and scientists say that they will continue for several more days.
