What is a Solar Flare (Magnetic storm)
The Sun, characterized by its dynamic gas composition, undergoes continuous activity, adhering to cyclic patterns recognized as the solar cycle. This activity, encompassing occurrences like solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), profoundly impacts the energy and velocity of the solar wind, as well as the potency of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF).
Solar flares represent vast eruptions on the Sun's surface, while CMEs manifest as extensive clouds of charged particles expelled from the Sun's corona along intense magnetic field lines over extended periods. Although Earth's magnetic field deflects a significant portion of the solar wind, certain particles breach through, triggering magnetic disturbances termed geomagnetic storms or substorms. While geomagnetic storms can yield mesmerizing auroras, they also carry the risk of causing harmful space weather phenomena.
Geomagnetic storms are classified as recurrent or non-recurrent. Recurrent storms, associated with the Sun's rotation, recur every 27 days and stem from Earth's interaction with the southward IMF during the solar minimum phase. Non-recurrent storms, more prevalent during the solar maximum, arise from CMEs and their interaction with interplanetary shock waves.
Substorms, akin in origin to geomagnetic storms, are brief episodes lasting two to three hours and occur more frequently, up to six times daily, during the storm's developmental phase. While substorms are confined to auroral zones, magnetic storms impact the entire planet.
Solar activity proceeds in cycles, with maximum sunspot conditions resurfacing approximately every 11 years. During these intervals, sunspot groups rapidly expand and rotate, generating potent bursts of energy known as solar flares. Despite the immense distance, Earth's systems align with the solar rhythm.