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Plasma heading toward Earth at 3 m. mph |
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July 16, 2000
WASHINGTON (AP) - A magnetic storm that could disrupt radio transmissions and satellites - and also produce colorful northern lights - is expected to strike the earth Saturday and could last until Monday. The massive sunspot eruption took place early Friday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported. "The storm is expected to reach strong to severe levels, which can adversely affect satellite operations and power grids," reported the agency. NOAA's Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colorado, reported that Friday's large complex sunspot group produced one of the largest solar flares seen in recent years. The solar flare, a giant eruption bursting out from the surface of the sun, took place about 1024 GMT, the center said. The event ejected billions of tons of plasma and charged particles into space, some of it heading toward Earth at 3 million mph (4.8 million kph). The mass ejection is expected to strike the Earth's magnetic field Saturday and cause the geomagnetic storm. The Earth's magnetic field protects the planet from most such charged particles, but in a strong burst such as this some disruptions can occur. As the field deflects the incoming particles they are moved toward the north and south poles where they cause the northern and southern lights, called auroras. The NOAA scientists reported that the solar flare has already caused some effects on Earth, including some radio blackouts. A NASA satellite located about 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) upstream from Earth detects geomagnetic storms approaching Earth and provides NOAA forecasters with a warning about one hour before they reach Earth's magnetic field. The sun is currently in the most intense phase of its 11-year sunspot cycle. --- On the Net: NOAA Space Environment Center: www.sec.noaa.gov
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