NASA scientists have made a breakthrough discovery that could help predict when a solar flare may be heading towards Earth. By studying the behavior of coronal loops – massive structures of glowing plasma on the sun’s surface – researchers believe they can forecast the occurrence of these intense bursts of energy.
Coronal loops are crucial in understanding solar flares, which can cause significant disruptions to our technology and infrastructure. When a flare occurs, it emits high-energy radiation that can damage spacecraft electronics, disrupt radio signals, and even induce dangerous currents in power grids.
The new study, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, found that coronal loops behave strangely just before a solar flare is released. The researchers observed that these loops flicker erratically, indicating an increase in energy build-up on the sun’s surface.
According to the study, this erratic behavior can be used as a predictor of solar flares. By monitoring the brightness of coronal loops, scientists may be able to detect signs of increased activity hours before a flare occurs. In some cases, these variations could reach accuracy levels of 60-80% in predicting the occurrence of a flare within two to six hours.
This breakthrough has significant implications for protecting our technology and infrastructure from the effects of solar flares. By developing early warning systems based on coronal loop behavior, scientists hope to safeguard astronauts, spacecraft, electrical grids, and other sensitive equipment from the destructive power of these intense bursts of energy.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/solar-flares-coronal-loops-sun-nasa-space-weather-prediction-2015960