Very strong solar flares the last three days - France Info

In just 24 hours, NASA has identified three major solar flares on the surface of the Sun. One of them was the most powerful observed this year. These eruptions, called class X, can theoretically disrupt the Earth’s electromagnetic field. The U.S. space agency released photos of these phenomena

One of the shots released by NASA after a solar eruption Tuesday © SDO – NASA

Three times in just 24 hours. NASA presented Wednesday spectacular images of solar flares that occurred between Monday and Tuesday, the Sun’s surface. These three coronal mass ejections (CME) are called “Class X”, that is to say, they have a maximum intensity for this type of phenomena.

These three

EMC, one of them is the most powerful to date in 2013. These eruptions, more frequent, due to the fact that the sun going to experience the maximum of its current cycle of activity this year, a cycle lasting an average of twenty-two years, eleven eleven activity and quiet. So far, the eruption of class X the most powerful for the current cycle was conducted in August 2011.

Low risk of interference

coronal mass ejections cause electromagnetic storms, which interact with the magnetic field of the Earth. We owe them the aurora borealis and australis, but also disturbances in electrical networks and those of telecommunications. However, the risks are limited in the case of recent EMC because they were not produced in the direction of the Earth.

In contrast, electromagnetic storms could reach two NASA satellites, which “ if necessary take safeguard instruments .” The space agency has also published several impressive images of these phenomena.

Panel images of solar flares released by NASA © SDO / GSFC NASA