An exacerbation of the geomagnetic situation in the coming weekend is threatened by a coronal hole on the Sun, which has significantly increased in size over the past few months, according to the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the IKI RAS.
Coronal holes are areas of reduced plasma density and temperature and can "live" on the surface of the Sun for several months to several years. Since the Sun, when observed from Earth, makes a complete revolution around its axis in approximately 27 days, the coronal holes that form on it return to Earth with the same step.
Signs of the formation of the current hole were observed on the Sun back in the summer, in July and August. And in September, when passing through the disk, the hole already had a decent area, but was located far above the equator. Then the flow of its plasma passed by the Earth.
This time, the hole has expanded significantly downwards, and a noticeable increase in plasma density has been recorded in the vicinity of the Earth, which usually precedes the arrival of the main fast flow of solar wind. This means that the intensification of geomagnetic storms on Earth may affect the well-being of weather-sensitive people, although the impact in the next two days is expected to be weak.
For those who love the Northern Lights, the appearance of a coronal hole and an increase in the number of flares create favorable conditions for successful observations.
Earlier www1.ru wrote that the Earth is under strong influence of the solar plasma flow from the coronal hole on the Sun.
