“Dead” solar region reawakens: powerful flares pose threat to Earth

A solar region previously thought to be inactive has unexpectedly reawakened, unleashing a series of powerful flares that pose a potential threat to Earth. Active region No. 4513, a group of sunspots observed for about a week, had shown limited activity, leading specialists to believe its energy reserves were depleted.

However, recent days have seen a dramatic increase in activity. Scientists have recorded three strong M-class solar flares, with intensities ranging from M1.7 to M1.9. This surge nearly doubled the number of such flares recorded in August within just a few hours. The activity culminated in an even more powerful M7.0 flare, the strongest event of the current surge, accompanied by a plasma ejection into space.

“

It appears that at least the edge of the plasma cloud will hit Earth, although the main front may still pass by the planet.

The location of active region No. 4513 is particularly concerning, as it is near the center of the visible solar disk. This increases the likelihood of a direct impact on Earth if plasma is ejected towards our planet. Specialists from the Solar Astronomy Laboratory estimate that at least the edge of the plasma cloud will hit Earth, potentially triggering a strong geomagnetic storm, rated G3 on a five-point scale. While not expected to reach historic X-class levels, this could represent the strongest magnetic storm seen in the past one to two months. Further analysis is ongoing to determine if this surge is a one-off event or a sign of intensifying solar activity.

“

Pokyčiai – papildomas kūrybinis stimulas.