Dual Solar Flares Heading Toward Earth
Alerts are already be sent out. One of the world’s main sources of Space Weather Advisories is NOAA’s Space Environment Center (SEC). According to the SEC “strong geomagnetic storm levels (G3) are expected during June 8-9. The storming is predicted due to a large coronal mass ejection (CME) that followed a major solar flare which occurred earlier today. “ Solar events such as this can wreak havoc on a variety of systems in orbit and on the ground. According to the SEC alert “this storm may cause some or all effects on the following: power system grids may require voltage corrections, false alarms may be triggered on protection devices, and high “gas-in-oil” transformer readings may occur; spacecraft may experience surface charging, increased drag, and orientation problems may need corrections; HF (high-frequency) radio propagation may be intermittent; intermittent low-frequency radio navigation and satellite navigation problems may occur; and the aurora may be seen as low as 50 degrees.” Related Links ° Sun Cam, Discovery.com ° Solar Storm Heading for Earth, Discovery.com ° Images and movies of this event are available at the LASCO ftp server ° Hotshots, SOHO website ° Fireworks Display on the Sun, NASA GSFC ° Space Weather Outlook #00- 24, NOAA Space Environment Center ° Space Weather Bulletin #00-6 – STRONG GEOMAGNETIC STORM EXPECTED, NOAA Space Environment Center ° Space Weather Bulletin #00-5 – STRONG RADIO BLACKOUTS, NOAA Space Environment Center ° NOAA/USAF Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 6 June 2000 Background Information ° Space Weather Today, University of Michigan ° Space Weather Reports, SpaceRef Directory ° SOHO, NASA ° Space Environment Center, NOAA ° Solar-terrestrial Interactions, SpaceRef Directory
According to scientsts working on the NASA/ESA SOHO project, “the Sun put up a spectacular fireworks display on June 6 with two X-class flares going off in close succession from one and the same active region of the Sun. The flares were also associated with a “full halo coronal mass ejection”, which means that a huge cloud of material is ejected in the direction of the Earth, possibly causing
geomagnetic disturbances in 2-4 days.”
