An unprecedented increase in the flux of solar protons in near-Earth space has been recorded — the highest in the past ten years. According to data from the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy of the Space Research Institute (IKI RAS) and the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS (ISTP SB RAS), the radiation load level exceeded the threshold value by almost 200 times.
As specialists reported, over the past 2.5 hours the flux of protons with an energy of 10 MeV — a key indicator of the density of high-energy particles near Earth — increased fourfold and reached 1,920 units. This value significantly exceeds the established threshold for issuing radiation hazard warnings, which is 10 units.
At the same time, scientists note that the mechanisms that led to such high proton energy are not yet fully clear. Researchers continue to analyze the data to understand the nature of this phenomenon and its possible consequences for technological infrastructure in space and on Earth.
Earlier, www1.ru reported that powerful magnetic storms will hit the planet on January 20.
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