Sunspot erupts, producing dangerous X-class solar flares! Blackout hits Pacific Ocean area

Our Sun has a thin layer of second atmosphere that lies just above the photosphere as well as a huge corona. This is the region where we see most of the solar phenomena such as solar flares, prominences, and coronal mass ejections reactions, most of which can directly impact Earth. While Sun’s energy is crucial for life to exist on Earth, its related solar phenomena can cause severe damage, especially to tech instruments. Just a few months ago, the worst solar storm in 6 years hit Earth when a menacing cloud of coronal mass ejection, erupting from a sunspot that was 20 times wider than Earth, struck the planet and unleashed a horrifying solar storm that caught everyone off guard.

Now, X-class solar flares have been produced as a result of a sunspot eruption, and these flares have caused radio blackouts in some parts of the world.

Solar flares cause blackouts

According to a report by spaceweather.com, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have revealed that a sunspot, named AR3354, with a beta-gamma-delta magnetic field finally erupted during the late hours of July 2. The sunspot has hurled powerful X-class solar flares towards Earth, which have caused a shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean.

The report states, “As predicted, giant sunspot AR3354 erupted again, producing a powerful X1-class solar flare during the late hours of July 2nd (2314 UT).”

Why did it cause a radio blackout?

According to the report, the shortwave radio blackout was caused by extreme ultraviolet radiation from the flare ionizing the top of Earth's atmosphere. When charged solar particles hit Earth, radio communications and the power grid are affected, and blackouts can be observed for several hours or even days.

Are X-class solar flares dangerous?

X-class solar flares can create radiation storms which have the potential to not only harm the satellites but also give small doses of radiation to the people flying in airplanes at the time! Moreover, these devastating flares can disrupt global communications and bring down the power grids too.