On Tuesday, January 21, a powerful class M flare was recorded on the Sun. This was reported by the Institute of Applied Geophysics (FSBI "IPG").
The M3.3 flare with a duration of 48 minutes was recorded on January 21 in the X-ray range in the group of spots 3967 (S17E23).
Specialists from the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy of IKI RAS and ISZF SB RAS clarified that there are two top-level active centers on the Sun (3961 and 3964). Both are in the zone of influence on the Earth, but have not yet produced flares.
Depending on the power of X-ray radiation, solar flares are divided into five classes: A, B, C, M, and X. Class M flares cause minor radio interference on the daylight side of the Earth.
The minimum class A0.0 corresponds to a radiation power in Earth orbit of 10 nW per 1 m². When moving to the next letter, the power increases by 10 times. Flares are accompanied by emissions of solar plasma, the clouds of which, reaching the Earth, are capable of provoking magnetic storms.
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A powerful flare close to class X — M9.4 was recorded on the Sun