Since May 8, the solar active area 13664 has been almost "crazy", with at least 9 X-class strong flares erupting, producing super solar storms to hit the earth and triggering the highest level of super geomagnetic storms. But with the rotation of the sun, we are finally going to say goodbye to it.
△ At 13:08 Beijing time on May 8, the first X-class flare broke out in the solar active region 13664
The counterattack growth of the little black dot
The solar zone 13664 first formed on May 2, and was initially a small black dot that no one paid much attention to. At that time, people's eyes were probably focused on its "predecessor" - the solar active zone 13663.
△ Solar activity zone 13664 on May 2
Before the launch of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe on May 3, a large X1.6 flare suddenly erupted in the solar active region 13663, which attracted attention. Four more X-Class flares erupted over the next six days, but were not accompanied by significant coronal mass ejections and solar proton events. To put it simply, although it is powerful, there is only one round of attacks - flares.
Astronomers classify Sun 13664 as β-γ-δ type, indicating that the magnetic field structure in this active region is extremely complex and prone to large flare explosions. Indeed, when the "senior" was about to turn out of the visible solar surface, the solar active area 13664 immediately took over the "baton" and erupted two X1.0 large flares on the afternoon of May 8 and the morning of May 9. At this time, it has counterattacked from small black dots to an extremely large group of sunspots on the visible sun.
△On May 8, the solar active region 13664 has become the largest sunspot group on the visible sunspot
When the Great Flare erupted, this active area was close to the center of the visible solar surface, accompanied by multiple total halo coronal mass ejections, and the probability of this solar storm directly hitting the Earth was very high, so the National Space Weather Monitoring and Warning Center issued a geomagnetic storm warning. It was only then that people realized that the solar zone 13664 was by no means idle.
△The coronagraph carried by the SOHO satellite captured the coronal mass ejection process
Triggering a super-geomagnetic storm event
In fact, the solar storm was far more intense than expected. From the evening of May 10 to the early morning of May 11, there were 3-hour ultra-geomagnetic storms and 6-hour ultra-geomagnetic storms on the earth, and the geomagnetic activity has been relatively active recently.
△On the morning of May 11, an X5.8 flare erupted in solar activity area 13664, setting a new flare intensity record in the active area
This ultra-geomagnetic storm event has affected short-wave communication, navigation and positioning on the earth, and the ionosphere has been disturbed in most parts of the continent. At the same time, the stability and security of the power grid system are threatened, and the National Grid of New Zealand has temporarily shut down eight substations for safety reasons. Moreover, the density of the upper atmosphere increases significantly during geomagnetic storms, resulting in the orbital attenuation of some low-orbit satellites.
△Geomagnetic storm warning
"The last time a geomagnetic storm of this magnitude occurred was during the 'Halloween event' in October 2003." Teng Weilin of the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said that at that time, it was in the 23rd solar cycle and the atmosphere, and a series of eruptions had a disastrous impact on the earth's space environment, with the power supply of 50,000 people in Sweden interrupted, the communications of the Everest expedition were interrupted, and global satellite communications were disrupted......
Of course, this ultra-geomagnetic storm event also brought the strongest aurora activity in 20 years to the middle and high latitudes of the world. In Mohe, Heilongjiang, Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, Altay region of Xinjiang and other places, as well as the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, the United States, New Zealand and other countries, there are gorgeous auroras.
Is there a chance to see each other again?
On May 11, the solar activity area 13664 continued to exert its strength, and the X5.8 large flare, which is the second strongest in the current 25th solar activity week, is really amazing.
The frequent and intense solar activity provides a good sample for astronomers to study, especially for the study of the mechanism of solar activity and the process of energy release, the relationship between the solar magnetic field and solar flares and coronal mass ejections, the evolution of the solar magnetic field, and the inducements behind solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
△On May 14, the solar active area 13664 was turning out of the visible solar surface
With the rotation of the sun, this active area comes to the western edge of the visible sun, officially bidding farewell to this part of the legend that belongs to it. The way of farewell is the same as that of the "senior", and on the morning of May 14, another X1.7 flare erupted, but it was more intense than the X1.0 flare that broke out by the "senior", showing its own personality.
Since May 8, there have been at least 9 X-class solar flares in the solar active region 13664, and the intensity and frequency of eruptions are rare, and small to moderate flares continue to erupt. But from the moment it turns out of the visible sun, the impact on the earth will come to an end for the time being.
Why "temporarily"? Will we see each other again? It is understood that it takes 25.05 days for the sun to rotate once, taking into account the speed of the earth's revolution, in about two weeks, the position of the solar activity zone 13664 will appear on the visible sun again, but it is impossible to predict whether they will meet again. Teng Weilin said that even if the sunspot activity area continues to exist, it will be given a new number.
Hyundai Express/Hyundai+ reporter Chu Xihao
(Photo from National Early Warning Center, SolarMonitor, Weibo)