A massive A solar event with a coronal mass ejection (CME) caused a radio blackout in southern Africa, where the region was most exposed to the Sun at the time. Experts suggest that the CME could engulf the Earth, resulting in minor geomagnetic disturbances.
Radio blackouts seen across southern Africa
The intense flame ionized Earth’s upper atmosphere, affecting high-frequency radio communications. According to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, ionization caused atmospheric density to increase, absorbing radio signals and weakening long-distance communications. Southern Africa experienced notable disruptions, as it was subject to direct sunlight during the peak of the blaze.
Expert Insights on Solar Impact
Space weather physicist Dr. Tamitha Skov said on social media platform X that Earth is likely to experience limited impacts from the CME. He said in a statement that the launched solar storm will hit the Earth towards the west. Strong solar wind currents may divert the structure even further west, resulting in mild impacts by the afternoon of December 11.
Understanding solar flares and their impacts
Solar flares are intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun. Depicting their strength they are classified into five categories – A, B, C, M and X. X-class flares, the most powerful, can severely disrupt satellite operations and communications systems. This recent eruption marks an active phase in the current solar cycle, increasing the likelihood of similar events in the future.
While Earth remains largely unaffected by this outbreak, experts stress the importance of monitoring solar activity to minimize potential risks to technological infrastructure.
