Solar Flare Causes Radio Blackouts Across Southeast Asia, South Pacific

A solar flare shook up radio communications across Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, causing shortwave radio blackouts on Monday, February 5. The flare emerged from a massive sunspot named AR3575.

This powerful solar event began its spectacle at 8:30 p.m. EST, reaching its peak by 10:15 p.m. EST. It unleashed a blazing plasma plume hurtling through the Sun’s atmosphere at an astonishing speed of 900,000 miles per hour.

Keith Strong, a solar physicist, was quick to report on this extraordinary occurrence. He described it as a “Spectacular Long-duration M4 Flare” that started at 01:30 UT and reached its peak at 03:15. Strong also pointed out the potential impact of a coronal mass ejection (CME) accompanying the flare, suggesting it might stir up a geomagnetic storm on Earth.

CMEs, marked by bursts of plasma and magnetic energy from the sun’s corona, have the potential to disrupt various Earth systems, including radio communications, power grids, and navigation systems. Observations from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory confirmed the formation of a CME during this event, with predictions hinting at a possible glancing blow to Earth around February 8th or 9th.

Despite the solar flare’s awe-inspiring display, it caused temporary shortwave radio blackouts across Australia and the South Pacific region. Ham radio operators and mariners in the area noticed signal loss for up to an hour following the flare’s peak.

Solar flares are classified based on their intensity, with the recent event being categorized as an M4 flare. While significant, M4 flares are smaller in magnitude compared to the more powerful X-class flares.

The magnitude of solar activity was particularly evident during the 2024 New Year’s Eve, which witnessed the largest solar flare in six years. This X5-class flare, occurring on December 31, 2023, at 4:55 p.m. EST, prompted NOAA to issue a geomagnetic storm watch due to potential impacts on Earth’s magnetic field and radio signal degradation.

While high-frequency radio users might experience temporary disruptions, the general public need not be overly concerned about the effects of these solar events.

In summary, the recent solar flare event provided a captivating display of nature’s power, reminding us of the profound influence the Sun has on our technological infrastructure and daily lives. As we continue to monitor and understand solar activity, we can better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of these spectacular phenomena.