Rare “super” quadruple eruption of the Sun could reach the Earth

On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the cosmos surprised us with an unusual solar spectacle: four solar flares were unleashed almost at the same time from different points on the surface of the Sun. This rare conjunction of explosions, captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) of NASA, not only dazzles with its uniqueness, but also could launch a solar storm toward Earth, with possible encounters in the coming days.

Solar flares are basically explosions on the surface of the sun that release powerful bursts of electromagnetic radiation. They originate when the magnetic energy stored in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released, according to reports Space.com.

Solar flares: three sunspots and a magnetic filament

On this occasion, according to the SDO, the “quadruple solar flare” took place at 01:00 am EDT. Of these four eruptions, three emanated from sunspots and one from a magnetic filament. The latter is an extensive loop of plasma that rises above the solar surface, flanked by dark spots, as detailed Spaceweather.com.

The four eruptions, although separated by hundreds of thousands of kilometers, are interconnected by almost imperceptible magnetic loops in the solar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun. These types of events are called “sympathetic solar flares.” The particular thing about this case is that it was not a pair of explosions, as usually happens, but a quartet, which elevates it to the category of “super nice”, according to Spaceweather.com.

What can we expect on Earth?

It is still uncertain how powerful the combined explosion was, but the dimensions of the sunspots suggest a good chance that “at least some of the debris will reach our planet.”

This is probably a massive cloud of plasma and radiation, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME).. If it grazes the Earth’s magnetic field, we could experience a minor class G1 solar storm, with the most likely impact dates being April 25 and 26.

If confirmed, the CME could offer an auroral spectacle near the magnetic poles. However, it is crucial to remember that CMEs aimed at our planet can have adverse effects, such as disrupting power grids, telecommunications systems and orbiting satellites, as well as exposing astronauts to dangerous doses of radiation.

According to recent research, Solar sympathetic flares tend to increase near solar maximum, a phase of intense activity that repeats approximately every 11 years. This pattern was highlighted in a 2022 study, which analyzed nearly 40 years of data related to these eruptions. Furthermore, some experts suggest that this cycle of high activity could have already begun, almost a year ahead of previous predictions.

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