CRACKLING SUNSPOT
Posted by JAC on 1/21/2010, 9:42 am


M2-flare recorded by STEREO-B at 1756 GMT on Jan. 20th

Sunspot 1041 (a.k.a. "old sunspot 1039") is crackling with solar flares.

Over the past few days, it has produced five M-class eruptions.  

The ongoing sequence of flares signals a sharp upturn in solar activity.

Before this week, the last time the sun produced even a single M-class solar flare was in March 2008--almost two years ago.

M-class solar flares have a moderate effect on Earth.

Mainly, they boost the ionization of Earth's upper atmosphere and disturb the propagation of terrestrial radio signals.




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Ionospheric Distrubance - JAC, 1/20/2010, 6:21 am
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