(NASA)
Ground-based and space telescopes recorded possibly the largest surge in solar activity in recent years - within just two days, the spot AR2824 produced 17 flares.
It is assumed that the plasma ejected during the flares will reach the Earth on the evening of May 25 and provoke a moderate magnetic storm.
The Sun passed another minimum of activity within its 11-year cycle in December 2019, and in mid-2020 a new cycle began.
This new cycle will be the 25th since the beginning of observations dated to the end of the 18th century.
The cycle manifests itself in the form of groups of sunspots, which become sources of flares of different intensities, as well as coronal mass ejections, X-ray flares and coronal holes.
Continuous monitoring of activity is important for correct space weather forecasting, on which the normal operation of unmanned spacecraft depends
The monitoring also ensures the safety of astronauts during future manned flights to the Moon and Mars.
On May 22-23, sunspot AR2824, which is now almost in the center of the solar disk, has generated a number of flares.
Over 24 hours of observations, the SDO space observatory recorded 10 C-class flares and 2 M-class flares.
Both spacecraft and ground observers recorded plasma emissions during the flares.
In total, 17 flares were detected in two days - it is assumed that this is the largest surge in solar activity in recent years.
During one of the M1.4 class flares, which occurred on the evening of May 22, ground-based telescopes recorded a very powerful burst of radio emission
The flare was classified as a mixture of type II and IV radio bursts, which are generated by shock waves and streams of electrons moving in the solar atmosphere after strong flares.
Based on models of the propagation of plasma ejections in the inner solar system, scientists predict that the material of the flares will reach the Earth in the late evening of May 25.
The associated magnetic storm can last for several hours, causing auroras, but will not exceed the second level on a five-point scale.
This is due to the fact that the flares themselves were still not strong; in addition, the direction of the plasma ejection was slightly shifted from the direction to the Earth.
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