Earth's atmosphere pulsates in sync with solar flares - research
Kyiv • UNN
A new study has shown that the Earth is more sensitive to solar flares. Pulses in the Earth's ionosphere coincide with the rhythm of solar flares, affecting communication and GPS systems.
The Earth's atmosphere pulsates in sync with the Sun's fiery flares, indicating that our planet is more sensitive to solar activity than previously thought, according to a new study, writes UNN with reference to Space.com.
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The study showed that solar flares - sudden, intense bursts of energy from the Sun - excite the charged layer of Earth's upper atmosphere called the ionosphere.
We were able to show, for the first time, that the pulsations of solar flares and the Earth's atmosphere pulsated synchronously during a solar flare. This study sheds new light on how deeply their impact is felt on Earth.
To reach this conclusion, the team studied a powerful X5.4 solar flare from March 2012, which was generated by a large, hyperactive cluster of sunspots on the Sun's surface. Data collected by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and the GOES-15 satellite during the event showed that the flare emitted rhythmic bursts of energy approximately every 90 seconds. These bursts, known to scientists as quasi-periodic pulsations (QPP), are believed to be caused by repetitive magnetic activity in the Sun's atmosphere.
Analyzing GPS data from a network of satellites and ground stations, O'Hara and her colleagues discovered corresponding pulses in the Earth's ionosphere - peaks in electron concentration - just 30 seconds after the flare. Scientists attribute this delay to the ionosphere's inherent "sluggishness" - a term used to describe the time it takes for the atmosphere to adapt and fully respond to solar changes.
This synchronization between solar activity and the Earth's atmospheric response underscores how quickly space weather can affect our planet. The results show that significant disruptions to technologies such as communications and GPS systems can begin literally minutes after a flare on the sun, the statement said.
"It was very exciting to lead the study, as we were able to identify how sensitive our atmosphere is to solar flares," O'Hara said in a statement.