Solar Storm Causes Radio Blackout On Earth, Another Expected To Hit Tomorrow

A radio blackout was detected over the Pacific Ocean on Monday after a solar storm hit the Earth. According to earth.com, the radio blackouts were detected around 4.20pm EST (2.50am IST) off the western US and South American coasts and was short-lived, lasting only a few seconds. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) also mentioned the solar storm on its website, classifying it as R2 (moderate). Solar flares are large eruptions of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun lasting from minutes to hours. The sudden outburst of electromagnetic energy travels at the speed of light, therefore any effect upon the sunlit side of Earth's exposed outer atmosphere occurs at the same time the event is observed.

The poles were also impacted by the powerful stream of energised particles, with the outage lasting for about seven hours, the earth.com report further said.

This is a part of a series of solar storms emitted by the Sun since the new year. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Centre has indicated a 60 per cent chance that the ongoing storm could disrupt the power grid.

Another solar storm is expected to arrive on Wednesday and could further affect radios, aviation communication and degrade satellite operations.

The events are expected to create stunning auroras that will stretch to northern Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

Physicist Tamitha Skov, who regularly posts updates on X and other platforms about solar storms, had informed about the incoming storm.

"We have one, if not two solar storms headed for Earth today! The first launched near (Sun's) Region 3555. It is expected to hit early to midday January 22. The second is a side-swiping storm launched near 3559. It may give us a glancing blow January 23. Also, an unstable filament is in the Earth-strike zone now. If it launches it will be a third storm headed towards Earth!" she said on X.

We have one, if not two #solarstorms headed for Earth today! The first launched near Region 3555. It is expected to hit early to midday January 22. The second is a side-swiping storm launched near 3559. It may give us a glancing blow January 23. Also, an unstable filament is in… pic.twitter.com/Iwe744c5xe

— Dr. Tamitha Skov (@TamithaSkov) January 21, 2024

How does a solar storm cause radio blackout?

According to NOAA, when a strong enough solar flare occurs, ionisation is produced in the lower, more dense layers of the ionosphere (the D-layer), and radio waves that interact with electrons in layers lose energy due to the more frequent collisions that occur in the higher density environment of the D-layer.

This can cause high frequency radio signals to become degraded or completely absorbed. This results in a radio blackout - the absence of HF communication, primarily impacting the 3 to 30 MHz band.