Spectacular flare erupts on Sun (Forwarded)

NOAA

Media Contact:
Barbara McGehan, NOAA Space Environment Center
(303) 497-6288,

Oct. 28, 2003

SPECTACULAR FLARE ERUPTS ON SUN

As the sun continues to storm, a spectacular new flare erupted Tuesday. NOAA
space weather forecasters categorized the flare, which occurred at 6:10 a.m.
EST, as an X-17 with a full Coronal Mass Ejection or CME. The region producing
this flare is 13 times larger than Earth. Forecasters at the NOAA Space
Environment Center in Boulder, Colo., say that the flare caused a strong S-3
radiation event, on a scale of 1 to 5 on the NOAA space weather scales, and a
severe R-4 radio blackout. Radiation storms can affect satellites and cause high
frequency communication problems. An R-4 storm can affect high frequency radio
blackouts for several hours on the sunlit side of the Earth.

NOAA forecasters expect the fast moving blast from the sun to reach the Earth's
magnetic field on Wednesday at about midday, producing predominately a severe
G-4 geomagnetic storm with possible periods of extreme G-5 storming. The solar
radiation storm is also expected to continue at strong levels for the next few days.

The Aurora Borealis or northern lights may be visible in the northern tier of
the U.S.

NOAA forecaster Bill Murtagh said this flare appears to be the second largest
during this solar cycle. "This storm has a lot of similarities to the Bastille
Day storm that occurred in July of 2000," he said. That storm was also located
near the center of the sun, and the associated coronal mass ejection also
reached Earth very quickly. "The Bastille Day storm produced considerable
disruption to both ground and space high-tech systems," Murtagh said.

NOAA forecasters said the probability of another major flare occurring is high,
and additional geomagnetic and radiation storms are likely.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the
prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing
environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. NOAA is
part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

IMAGE CAPTION:
[http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories...703-1424z2.jpg (48KB)]
Image from the SOHO spacecraft of the intense solar activity on the sun taken
Oct. 27, 2003, at 9:24 a.m. EDT. Credit: SOHO

Relevant Web Sites

* NOAA Space Environment Center
http://sec.noaa.gov/
* NOAA Space Weather Scales
http://sec.noaa.gov/NOAAscales/
* NOAA Solar X-ray Imager -- Latest Views of the Sun
http://www.sec.noaa.gov/sxi/latest.html
* Latest SOHO images
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/...me-images.html