Powerful solar flare causes radio blackouts in the Americas: How solar flares impact Earth
On June 15, an intense solar flare erupted from sunspot region AR 4114, reaching an M8.46 level at around 2:25 p.m. EDT (18:25 GMT). This makes it one of the most powerful solar flares observed recently, only just below the top-tier X-class category.
Radio signals dropped within minutes
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a U.S. federal agency under the Department of Commerce that focuses on science, service, and stewardship. It helps monitor and predict changes in the Earth's environment, supports informed decision-making, and manages ocean and coastal resources across the country.
It explains that radiation from solar flares travels at the speed of light, reaching Earth in about eight minutes.
This radiation raises ionization levels in the ionosphere, particularly the dense D-layer, which can absorb or scatter shortwave (3–30 MHz) radio waves, causing temporary blackouts.
The Americas took the brunt of the impact
According to Space(dot)com and Newsweek, the flare struck while the Americas were in daylight, putting North and South America directly in the path of its effects. This alignment produced noticeable shortwave radio disruptions across the region.
NOAA raises the alert to R2
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center classified the event as an R2– Moderate radio blackout, signaling interruptions in high-frequency communication tools used for aviation, maritime, emergency response, and amateur radio.
Who felt the effects?
HF radio users, especially pilots, ships, and emergency services, could experience dropped signals or reduced range. Even occasional loss of communication can complicate these critical systems.
The Sun is still active
According to a Space(dot)com report, the same sunspot region produced another flare on June 16 (M6.4 at 5:30 a.m. EDT) and has remained Earth-facing, prompting warnings of more flares or coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the coming days.
Possible ripple effects beyond radio
GPS systems: Disturbances in the ionosphere can reduce positioning accuracy.
Satellites: Heating in the upper atmosphere causes expansion, increasing drag on satellites.
Power grids: Strong geomagnetic storms– often tied to CMEs– have historically led to disruptions, such as Quebec's blackout in 1989, and scientists note up to 4% of grid issues may stem from solar activity.
A chance for auroras
As per reports, models show a CME from this flare may graze Earth around June 18, possibly triggering a G1-level geomagnetic storm. This could result in auroras visible in northern US states like Michigan or Maine.
Why this matters
Though the flare's impact was brief, it's a powerful reminder that our daily communication technologies– air travel, marine navigation, emergency services, satellite clocks– are all vulnerable to space weather. Monitoring these solar events helps safeguard essential systems.
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