X2.2-class solar flare - [06-09-17]
swpc.noaa.gov/products/goes-x-ray-flux
swpc.noaa.govPosted Sep 6, 2017, 10:41 AM UTC
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swpc.noaa.govDid this one leave from spot 2673 ? Oh man this is exciting . We're in for a treat Friday night . I have a question . It released multiple M class flares prior to this X class . Does this mean that the effects of the X class will be amplified because the magnetic field will already be flexed from the M class's?
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This was the case during the Carrington Event but I'm no expert in this field so I can only hypothesize.
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Solar storm of 1859
The solar storm of 1859 (also known as the Carrington Event) was a powerful geomagnetic solar storm during solar cycle 10 (1855–1867). A solar coronal mass ejection hit Earth's magnetosphere and induced one of the largest geomagnetic storms on record, September 1–2, 1859. The associated "white light flare" in the solar photosphere was observed and recorded by British astronomers Richard C. Carrington (1826–1875) and Richard Hodgson (1804–1872).
Studies have shown that a solar storm of this magnitude occurring today would likely cause more widespread problems for a modern and technology-dependent society.
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I think the Carrington Event would have been a X20.0+ event, so significantly larger than the X9.3 we just saw.
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Aye, I only used it as an example where earlier flares can increase the qualities of a later flare. Most assuredly this one will be nowhere close to what the Carrington event was.
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Carrington was, after the fact, estimated to be very strong, but notably stronger on account of a double CME and a coronal hole cleaning out a fast, thin stream of wind.
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Probably, but we have to wait and see what the magnetosphere does see once the M-class CME hits.
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X789.somethin' x-ray emissions I just now got on my app alert? What's the significance of that? The app (Astroid Alert) let out a warning beep unlike it's usual little blip.
I know very very little about this stuff btw so I'm curious.
edit: 795.8 sd
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From what I've gleaned from the discussion around here and Wikipedia, this event is significant only in that it's unusually strong, but not likely to be damaging.
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How big of a solar flare is needed to actually create chaos ? If it really is a x 9.7 flare , could this actually be one i should be worried about?
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It's strong, but we've had stronger, and it wasn't quite facing Earth so it will only partially hit us. There might be some radio blackouts but nothing major for the common man, except for really bright auroras visible further south than usual.
A Carrington-like event (as in catastrophic) would be about an X45 flare, hitting us directly.
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Cool. I'm reading about the 1989 blackout in Quebec and that was from an X-15. So ya not as strong bit still freaky . Those multiple m class flares will have our magnetosphere already in flex mode so maybe the auroras will be that much brighter .
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Yeah and there was actually an X2.2 just a few hours before.
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I'm so happy I saved my eclipse glasses. the sunspots look gorgeous from here 😊
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Yet out magnetic fields (which are a little weaker than years before) will be reverberating due to the M-Class CME that will hit us, so the effects of the X9.7 might be a little stronger due to that fact. Then again, the flare was only semi-earth facing so we're likely not going to get the full brunt of it.
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I don't think you need to worry about this flare. the size and the direction of the coronal mass ejection is much more important than the strength of the flare. bright flares are more likely to produce large CMEs, but you can also have bright flares with no CME.
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At 12:02 UTC there was an X9.3. Now that seems like a lot to me, who doesn't regularly follow these things, but how powerful is that in historical terms? In other words, what is the context of that number?
Not exactly earth facing, but we're definitely going to feel some of its effects. This flare is very powerful and is ranking among the top 15 most powerful flares ever detected. Had it been directly pointing at earth, we'd been in some trouble given its power.
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