In 2023, scientists closely monitored the increase in the activity of our star. And they even warned about the threat of a solar superstorm, from which there is no protection.
We are now experiencing the 25th cycle of solar activity in the entire history of observations. He was projected to be medium to low in strength. But the zealous star quickly made it clear that there was no need to relax: already in February of this year, her activity jumped sharply.
And that was just the beginning. The Sun “grew” all year, and in December the largest flare in recent years occurred on it. What awaits us in 2024?
Less stress, more sleep
Residents of central Russia are not spoiled by such a beautiful atmospheric phenomenon as the aurora. But this year they began to admire it already in March and April. Flashes of color in the sky were visible at the latitude of Moscow and even to the south – these were echoes of solar flares and the subsequent magnetic storms, which, by the way, cut short-wave radio broadcasting in North America for some time.
“The year started off very stormy. After the largest flare in many years occurred in February, and large magnetic storms occurred in March-April, there was a feeling that the Sun was almost reaching its peak, and there was very little left before it,” said aif .ru Chief Researcher at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Sergei Bogachev.
While some people – some with bewilderment and some with admiration – watched the blazing sky and posted photographs of the aurora on social networks, others complained of heart pain and headaches, high blood pressure and a general deterioration in well-being. And these are also the consequences of a surge in solar activity.
Doctors advised on such days to eliminate stress and physical activity, sleep more, and monitor health indicators, primarily pulse and blood pressure. Experts note that disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field caused by the activity of the Sun do not have a cumulative effect on human health, unlike radiation. However, given that a huge number of people in cities already live in conditions of a strong electromagnetic background, the advice to get more rest and sleep will not be superfluous.
Why did it glow red?
In summer, the Sun calmed down, although (paradox?) the area and number of sunspots on it began to grow – the peak values of the previous activity cycle were even broken. But this did not lead to an increase in outbreaks, and by the end of summer the spots were almost completely destroyed.
In September, our star reminded itself again. The second burst of its activity in a year lasted a month, until the Sun, having exhausted its energy, again “went to zero.” The third time she “awakened” was in November. The number of sunspots and flares has increased. The response on Earth was inevitable. This time, auroras covered not only central Russia, but also the southern regions – they were observed in the Crimea, Kuban, Rostov and Astrakhan regions. Moreover, the further south the eyewitnesses were, the more they saw a blood-red hue in the heavenly lights, which could not but disturb people.
“The aurora occurs when particles from the solar wind collide with the Earth’s upper atmosphere. This leads to the excitation of atoms and molecules of gases included in its composition. They begin to emit in different spectral lines, and then we see the aurora,” a scientist explained to aif.ru readers the essence of this phenomenon employee of the Astrospace Center of the Physical Institute named after. P.N. Lebedev RAS Vyacheslav Avdeev. — Its color depends on the height from which the radiation comes. In lower layers of the atmosphere it is green, and in higher layers it is red. An observer located in the south has a better view of the “cap” of the aurora. So it turns out that he sees more red and less green.”
Records haven’t been broken yet
At the very end of 2023, the Sun “heated up” in earnest. Two or three magnetic storms occurred every week, and huge spots appeared again. And most importantly, the largest outbreak in recent years occurred. She was recorded on December 14th. It surpassed the previous record this year, set back in February.
The last time flares of this magnitude occurred on the Sun was six years ago. And although the current event seems extreme, it is inferior to some others recorded in the 21st century.
“There have not yet been any truly large outbreaks in this cycle,” Bogachev emphasizes. — In absolute terms, they are still 10 or more times weaker than the record ones. Thus, for almost 20 years, since 2005, no magnetic storms of the highest grade G5 have been observed. Therefore, the Sun has room to grow, and records are far from being broken. The question is: will he have enough energy, and when will the maximum of the cycle finally occur? Scientists have not yet understood this.”
According to the forecast of the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the SB RAS, major events are still ahead in the current cycle and it is increasingly likely that the star will reach its maximum activity in the first half of the coming 2024.
The forecast for the New Year holidays and the first half of January is calm, however, it can be adjusted at any time: the Sun does not tell us when it is going to make the next explosions in its atmosphere.
