X-class flare as two sunspots explode in tandem

Posted: March 26, 2024 by oldbrew in News, Solar physics
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A Sympathetic X-class Solar Flare

Solar maximum part two on the way.

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  1. oldbrew says:
    March 27, 2024 at 2:23 pm

    Strongest solar storm since 2017 hits Earth but leaves aurora chasers in the dark

    Unfortunately, for aurora chasers across Europe and North America, the timing of the CME arrival meant much of the auroral activity was lost to daylight and by the time darkness fell, Earth had seemingly “closed its door” on auroras with a strong northward Bz shift. 

    Bz refers to the north-south direction of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), which is carried through the solar system by charged particles from the sun. Bz is a key player in determining how the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere and affects auroral activity according to Spaceweatherlive.com. 

    If the Bz is orientated southward, the IMF connects to Earth’s magnetosphere which points northward. Just like two bar magnets with opposite poles attracting each other, a strong southward Bz can disrupt our planet’s magnetosphere and allow particles to rain down into our atmosphere along our magnetic field lines. You can think of a southward Bz as an “open door” for aurora-fueling particles. 

    But if the Bz is northward you can think of it as a “closed door” as the northward IMF fails to “connect” with our northward magnetic field. Much like two opposing bar magnets.  Auroras can happen with northwards Bz but they require strong geomagnetic storms and the displays won’t be as dramatic as those seen when the door is open during southward Bz. 

    https://www.space.com/strongest-solar-storm-since-2017-hits-earth-march-24

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