Active Regions, CMEs, and X Class Flares
Explanation:
Space Weather forcasters
are predicting major storm conditions
over the next few days as the
active Sun
has
produced at least three strong flares and a
large coronal mass ejection (CME) since
Tuesday, June 6th.
This
recent
false color
X-ray image of the Sun
shows the
active region generating the explosive events, here
the Sun's most intense source
of X-rays, as the dominant bright area
just above center.
X-ray hot plasma suspended in looping magnetic fields arcs
above this region, cataloged as AR9026.
AR9026 appears as a large group of
sunspots in visible light images.
The three intense flares were all X-class events, the
most severe class of solar flares based on X-ray flux
measurements by
the earth-orbiting
GOES
satellites.
Energetic particles from
the CME, associated
with the second X-class flare, were
directed toward
planet Earth and could produce
geomagnetic storms
as early as today.
Possible effects range from increased
auroral displays to
disruptions of satellite and communications systems and
electrical power grids.
But wait ... there's more!
In the coming days AR9026, carried slowly across the Sun
(from left to right) by
solar rotation, is likely to produce
even more
solar flares.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.