A team of researchers has made a breakthrough in predicting solar flares, which can pose a threat to astronauts and space assets. By analyzing the flickering of coronal loops in the Sun’s outer atmosphere, they have identified a possible precursor to intense solar flares that can signal their approach up to two hours ahead of time.
The study, led by heliophysicist Emily Mason, used NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory to track the brightness variations in coronal loops. They found that these loops flicker erratically for several hours before a large solar flare, providing a potential early warning system for space weather.
The researchers suggest that monitoring ultraviolet brightness variations in coronal loops could improve forecasting accuracy to 60-80%. This method is more precise than previous attempts and could potentially replace existing forecasting methods. The team also hopes to create a simple and well-tested indicator for solar flares that can be used operationally.
Predicting solar flares has been challenging, but this discovery brings hope for protecting people and technology from the Sun’s volatile outbursts. Solar flares can disrupt satellite communications, GPS systems, and power grids on Earth, and astronauts face radiation hazards in space. A reliable early warning system would be a significant step forward in mitigating these dangers.
The researchers acknowledge that further analysis is needed to confirm their findings, but if proven true, this method could serve as a flashing warning signal for those at risk from solar flares.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/the-sun-does-something-weird-right-before-it-unleashes-solar-flares-2000550925