Major Solar Storm Headed for Earth This Week; Powerful Eruption Could Cause 60% Chance of Radio Blackouts and Northern Light Displays

A powerful solar event is expected to happen this week, with the potential to cause colorful northern light displays and widespread radio blackouts.

A Powerful Jet of Plasma

Earlier this month, the sun released coronal mass ejections (CMEs), the most powerful jet of plasma in 20 years. The G5 solar eruption collapsed US power grids and caused nationwide blackouts. Meanwhile, communication disruptions were also experienced in various parts of the world.

No significant impacts were felt from the storm. However, some farmers reported loss of access to their GPS systems which forced them to pause operations. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), less severe problems were reported because they were prepared.

The sunspot, named AR3664, is currently facing away from Earth. However, astronomical data reveals that this region will move in view by the end of the week, with the potential to release solar storms toward the Earth.

Sunspot AR3664 first emitted solar flares on May 10 before it rotated away from the Earth's view. Last May 11, the same sunspot smashed the Earth with dozens of energized jets of plasma, causing NOAA to issue a severe geomagnetic storm watch. As the sunspot reemerges, it is expected to release a powerful geo-storm toward us.

On May 27, the sunspot that caused this solar storm swung back around and unleashed a powerful flare toward our planet. That same day, the Sun released 17 small solar flares and one major X2.9 flare, the largest class ranking to date.

A Looming Solar Threat

According to the NOAA, there was a 60% chance of radio blackouts on May 28 and throughout the rest of the week. The solar storm alert was first issued by NOAA in 2005 when our planet was hit with the highest amount of radiation in a half-century.

The incoming storms are not expected to reach levels that were seen earlier this month. Instead, they are anticipated to cause a level three (R3) radio blackout which can last from minutes to hours, affecting GPS systems and radio communication.

GPS systems get disrupted from solar events because the radiation released by the solar flare smashes the magnetic sphere that covers our planet. As a result, it causes fluctuations in the ionosphere.

Located in the Earth's upper atmosphere, the ionosphere absorbs and reflects the signals during geomagnetic storms. This results in static and disruptions in the signals received by GPS systems.

The unusual event that took place earlier this month caused disruption of power grids, GPS, farming equipment, and satellites in orbit. Experts monitored the solar flare that happened on Monday in preparation for the same issues.

Images of the Sun releasing the solar flare were captured across the world over the last two days. They were observed in Virginia, Arizona, and even Italy and Chile.

Authorities warn that the powerful eruptions might only be the start of more extreme solar flares that can hit us next year. If it ever happens, this will be the worst geo-storm in 165 years.

A geomagnetic or solar storm refers to a major disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere, the region around our planet which is controlled by our planet's magnetic field. Aside from the blackout, aurora displays are also expected to spread across northeast Canada, although NOAA has not yet released official forecasts related to the solar storm event.

Check out more news and information on Solar Storm in Science Times.