Sunspot that caused the historic solar storm on Earth in May is back and roaring
The historic sunspot region responsible for May 2024's record-breaking solar storm on Earth has made a dramatic return, and unleashed a powerful M9.3 class solar flare on June 23.
This marks the third appearance of this hyperactive sunspot, now designated AR3723, which previously triggered a massive G5 geomagnetic storm.
The sunspot, which is of gargantuan size in itself, was responsible for a series of solar storm that battered Earth's magnetic field in the early week of May. The storm was so powerful that it triggered auroras in several parts of the world. The brief flashes were light were also observed in India's Ladakh.
BACK IN ACTION
The sun's 27-day rotation period means Earth can observe a given active region for about two weeks before it rotates out of view. Due to historical limitations in tracking regions around the sun's far side, newly emerging regions are assigned new numbers upon reappearing.
Despite being smaller than its previous incarnations, AR3723 continues to exhibit intense magnetic activity. The recent M9.3 flare, peaking on June 23, narrowly missed X-class classification - the most powerful category of solar flares.
This eruption caused moderate shortwave radio blackouts across Western Europe and Africa.
Sun
Such disruptions are common following powerful flares, as the emitted X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation ionize Earth's upper atmosphere. This ionization creates a challenging environment for high-frequency radio signals, potentially degrading or absorbing them completely.
A SET PATTERN
AR3723's reappearance follows a pattern set during its previous rotations. As AR3697, it announced itself with an X-class flare that triggered radio blackouts over Western Europe and the Eastern United States.
During that rotation, it produced an impressive 28 M-class and 6 X-class flares.
Scientists are closely monitoring this region given its history of intense activity. Aurora enthusiasts are hopeful for strong solar activity in the coming days as the sunspot turns to face Earth, potentially leading to more spectacular auroral displays