Tag Archives: flares

Discover How a New Solar Orbiting Spacecraft Connects Magnetic Avalanches to Solar Flares

Posted on by
Reply

Recent high-resolution findings from ESA’s Solar Orbiter mission provide groundbreaking insights into solar flares. These explosive events are triggered by cascading magnetic reconnection processes, releasing immense energy and “raining down” plasma clumps into the Sun’s atmosphere.

Detailed overview of M-class solar flares as observed by ESA’s solar probes. Image credit: ESA / Solar Orbiter / Chitta et al., doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202557253.

Solar flares are powerful explosions originating from the Sun.

These dramatic events occur when energy stored in entangled magnetic fields is suddenly unleashed through a process known as “magnetic reconnection.”

In mere minutes, intersecting magnetic field lines disconnect and reconnect, leading to a rapid rise in temperature and accelerating millions of degrees of plasma and high-energy particles, potentially resulting in solar flares.

The most intense flares can initiate a cascade of reactions, causing magnetic storms on Earth and potentially disrupting radio communications. Hence, monitoring and understanding these flares is crucial.

However, the mechanisms behind such swift energy release remain largely enigmatic.

An exceptional series of observations from the Solar Orbiter’s four instruments has finally provided clarity. This mission, with its comprehensive approach, offers the most detailed perspective on solar flares to date.

The Solar Orbiter’s Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) captured high-resolution images of features just hundreds of kilometers across in the Sun’s outer atmosphere (corona), recording changes every two seconds.

Three other instruments—SPICE, STIX, and PHI—examined various depth and temperature regions, from the corona to the Sun’s visible surface, or photosphere.

“We were fortunate to witness this massive flare precursor in such exquisite detail,” said Dr. Pradeep Chitta, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research.

“Such detailed and frequent observations of flares are rarely possible due to the limited observation window and the significant data storage required.”

“We were in the right place at the right time to capture these intricate details of the flare.”

Solar Orbiter observations have revealed an intricate view of the central engine during the preflare and shock stages of a solar flare as a magnetic avalanche.

“Even prior to the major flare event, ribbon-like features rapidly traversed the Sun’s atmosphere,” Dr. Chitta noted.

“The flow of these ‘rainy plasma blobs’ indicates increasing energy buildup, intensifying as the flare progresses.”

“This rain of plasma will continue for a while even after the flare diminishes.”

“This marks the first time we’ve observed such a level of spatial and temporal detail in the solar corona.”

“We did not anticipate such high-energy particles emerging from the avalanche process.”

“There is still much to explore regarding this phenomenon, but future missions equipped with high-resolution X-ray imaging will further our understanding.”

“This is one of Solar Orbiter’s most thrilling achievements thus far,” stated Dr. Miho Jamby, ESA’s Solar Orbiter Collaborative Project Scientist.

“The Solar Orbiter’s observations unveil the flare’s central engine and underscore the significant role of an avalanche-like magnetic energy release mechanism.”

There is a compelling prospect of whether this mechanism is universal across all flares and in other flaring stars.

Results can be found in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

_____

LP Citta et al. 2026. Magnetic avalanches as the central engine driving solar flares. A&A 705, A113; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202557253

Source: www.sci.news

Stellar Flares Might Mask Life on Exoplanets – Sciworthy

Posted on by
Reply

Researchers focused on the quest for extraterrestrial life are actively searching, as aliens have yet to appear on Earth to join us in a galactic federation. Nonetheless, there remains a chance that scientists will find extraterrestrial life close enough for observation, through numerous probes and satellites dispatched throughout our solar system. The anticipation of visitors from the cosmos often generates a constant buzz within the scientific community. extrasolar celestial body passing near the sun.

Many astronomers and astrobiologists are venturing even farther, beyond our solar system and into the realms of other stars. As they cannot deploy instruments to such distant locations for at least several centuries, scientists rely on telescopes to search for indicators of life. These indicators are referred to as biosignatures, which can include elements, molecules, or other characteristics. However, caution is necessary when seeking biosignatures, as measurement inaccuracies and overlooked variables can lead to false positives.

A hypothetical false positive might involve: Exoplanets possessing atmospheres rich in carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas, as well as some hydrogen-oxygen molecules, none of which necessarily indicate life. A powerful burst of matter and energy from an exoplanet’s host star, known as an exoplanet flare, could emit energy that impacts the atmosphere and triggers chemical reactions producing oxygen gas, O2, and ozone, O3. Should astronomers detect these compounds in an exoplanet’s atmosphere, they might mistakenly consider the planet a candidate for life.

Recently, a group of scientists explored how such a scenario could manifest on exoplanets and the potential for false life indicators. They conducted a series of six simulations to create plausible scenarios of a flare impacting an uninhabited Earth-like planet. They selected red dwarfs, the most prevalent star type near Earth, and analyzed data on Earth’s atmospheric and surface chemical composition from 4.5 to 4 billion years ago, during a period dominated by carbon dioxide, N2, and water. They positioned the planet within proximity to its star to receive comparable light levels to what Earth receives from the sun today.

In five of the simulations, they modified the presence of CO.2 and N2, adjusting CO2 levels to make up 3%, 10%, 30%, 60%, or 80% of the atmosphere. The sixth simulation looked at a different atmospheric composition with minimal water. This variant checked for possible extremes in O2 and O3 levels, considering that hydrogen from water can bind with stray oxygen atoms. All simulated atmospheres contained trace amounts of O2 and O3.

Each simulated atmosphere was then subjected to two flares: one of typical strength observed from real red dwarfs, and the other, known as a super flare, which is 100 times stronger and exceedingly rare. The chemical outcomes of these flares were calculated using specialized software called atmos. Following this, they employed the Spectral Mapping Atmospheric Radiative Transfer (SMART) model to simulate observable effects from Earth-based telescopes.

During standard flare events, O2 and O3 levels initially decreased but reverted to their original state approximately 30 years later. Nevertheless, five months post-flare, a slight overshoot in oxygen levels was noted before they normalized.

Analyzing the variations in CO levels, 2, hydrogen gas, and water within exoplanet atmospheres revealed that each can significantly alter the detectability of oxygen molecules by astronomers. Consequently, the impacts of typical flares are subtle and challenging to discern on actual exoplanets. However, in the unique instances simulated involving super flares, notable increases in O2 and O3 occurred, though these levels also nearly returned to pre-flare conditions within 30 years.

Ultimately, the researchers concluded that flares likely have only a minimal and fleeting impact on life detection efforts on these exoplanets. Even if astronomers observed an exoplanet struck by a flare five months prior, the O2 and O3 levels, considering potential measurement errors, would not present as distinctly elevated. Nonetheless, the results from super flare scenarios indicate that further examination of false positives in biosignatures is warranted, as high-energy events can substantially disrupt the environmental conditions of exoplanets.


Post views: 161

Source: sciworthy.com

NASA and IBM Develop AI to Forecast Solar Flares Before They Reach Earth

Posted on by
Reply

Solar flares pose risks to GPS systems and communication satellites

NASA/SDO/AIA

AI models developed with NASA satellite imagery are now capable of forecasting the sun’s appearance hours ahead.

“I envision this model as an AI telescope that enables us to observe the sun and grasp its ‘mood,'” states Juan Bernabe Moreno from IBM Research Europe.

The sun’s state is crucial because bursts of solar activity can bombard Earth with high-energy particles, X-rays, and extreme ultraviolet radiation. These events have the potential to disrupt GPS systems and communication satellites, as well as endanger astronauts and commercial flights. Solar flares may also be accompanied by coronal mass ejections, which can severely impact Earth’s magnetic field, leading to geomagnetic storms that could incapacitate power grids.

Bernabé-Moreno and his team at IBM and NASA created an AI model named Surya, derived from the Sanskrit word for ‘sun,’ by utilizing nine years of data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. This satellite captures ultra-high-resolution images of the sun across 13 wavelength channels. The AI models have learned to recognize patterns in this visual data and create forecasts of how the sun will appear from future observational stations.

When tested against historical solar flare data, the Surya model demonstrated a 16% improvement in accuracy for predicting flare occurrences within the next day compared to traditional machine learning models. There is also a possibility that the model could generate visualizations of flares observable for up to two hours in advance.

“The strength of AI lies in its capacity to comprehend physics in unconventional ways. It enhances our intuition regarding physical processes,” remarks Lisa Upton at the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado.

Upton is especially eager to explore if the Surya model can aid in predicting solar activity across the sun and at its poles—areas where NASA instruments cannot directly observe. While Surya does not explicitly aim to model the far side of the sun, it has shown promise in forecasting what the sun will resemble for several hours ahead as sections rotate into view, according to Bernabe Moreno.

However, it remains uncertain whether AI models can overcome existing obstacles in accurately predicting how solar activity will influence Earth. Bernard Jackson from the University of California, San Diego, points out that there is currently no means to directly observe the magnetic field composition between the Sun and Earth, a crucial factor determining the direction of high-energy particles emanating from the star.

As stated by Bernabé-Moreno, this model is intended for scientific use now, but future collaborations with other AI systems that could leverage Surya’s capabilities may allow it to support power grid operators and satellite constellation owners as part of early warning frameworks.

Topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Recently Discovered Exoplanet Triggers Flares on Its Host Star

Posted on by
Reply

The Hot-Jupiter exoplanet HIP 67522b revolves around its star, HIP 67522, frequently triggering flares from the star’s surface, which seem to heat and penetrate the planet’s atmosphere.

Artistic impression of the HIP 67522 young planetary system. Image credit: J. Fohlmeister, AIP.

HIP 67522 is a G0 star located approximately 417 light-years away in the constellation Centaurus.

This star is part of the Scorpius-Centaurus Stellar Association and is also known as HD 120411, 2Mass J13500627-4050090, and TYC 7794-2268-1.

At about 17 million years old, HIP 67522 is home to two young exoplanets.

The inner planet, HIP 67522b, completes an orbit around the star every seven days and has a diameter roughly ten times that of Earth, making it similar in size to Jupiter.

Using five years of data from NASA’s TESS and ESA’s CHEOPS telescopes, astronomer Ekaterina Ilin and her team studied the HIP 67522 system in detail.

They uncovered that the planet and its host star share a powerful yet destructive connection.

Although not completely understood, the planet becomes ensnared in the star’s magnetic field, resulting in eruptions on the star’s surface that transfer energy back to the planet.

When combined with other high-energy radiation from the star, these flares appear to significantly enhance the rapid inflation of the planet’s atmosphere.

This indicates that the planet might not remain within the size range of Jupiter for much longer.

Continuous exposure to intense radiation can lead to atmospheric loss over time.

In about 100 million years, this could change the planet into a hot Neptune state or even result in more severe atmospheric reductions, with sub-Neptunes commonly observed in our galaxies, but lacking smaller planetary types than Neptune in our solar system.

“We found the first definitive evidence of the interaction between the flare star and the planet, demonstrating that the planet induces energy eruptions in the host star,” remarked Dr. Ilin, lead author of a paper published in the journal Nature.

“What is particularly thrilling is that this interaction persists for at least three years, allowing for in-depth study.”

“Such planetary interactions have long been anticipated, but these observations were made possible with this extensive spatial telescope dataset,” stated Dr. Katja Poppenhäger, an astronomer at Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam and Potsdam University.

“The planets are essentially subjected to intense bursts of radiation and particles from these induced flares,” explained Astron astronomer Dr. Harish Vedantum.

“The conditions in this self-inflicted environment are likely to expand the planet’s atmosphere and can significantly accelerate the rate at which the planet is losing its atmosphere.”

In a separate paper published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, astronomers confirmed that HIP 67522 is a magnetically active star emitting strong radio radiation along with a magnetic field.

They monitored the star at low radio frequencies for approximately 135 hours using the Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), revealing it as a bright and explosive source of radio waves.

However, there were no indications of radio wave flares resulting from star-planet interactions.

“The lack of detection aligns with the notion that planet-driven flares may be too faint for ATCA to observe, corroborating the conclusions on magnetic star-planet interactions presented in our Nature paper,” they noted.

____

Ekaterina Ilin et al. Nearby planets induce flares in their host star. Nature, published online July 2, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09236-z

Ekaterina Ilin et al. 2025. Search for planetary-induced radio signals from the young exoplanet-host star HIP 67522. A&A, in press; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202554684

Source: www.sci.news

Star Flares May Obstruct Search for Life in Promising Star Systems

Posted on by
Reply

Illustration of TRAPPIST-1, a red dwarf star with at least seven orbiting planets

Mark Garlick/Alamy

Investigating the atmosphere surrounding the TRAPPIST-1 star system, one of the most promising locations in the galaxy, may prove even more challenging for astronomers than previously anticipated due to sporadic radiation bursts emitted by the stars.

First identified in 2016, TRAPPIST-1 is a diminutive red star located about 40 light years from Earth and is known to orbit at least seven planets. Several of these planets are situated within habitable zones that could support liquid water, making them prime candidates for astronomers searching for signs of extraterrestrial life.

For life to be sustainable, these planets must retain an atmosphere. Up to now, extensive observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have shown no signs of atmospheres on any of the planets.

Now, Julien DeWitt from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his team have detected minor bursts emanating from TRAPPIST-1 for several minutes each hour. These radiation surges seem to complicate the planets’ capacity to capture light filtering through their atmospheres — if they exist — which is essential for determining the chemical makeup of any atmosphere.

Using the Hubble Space Telescope, DeWitt and his team searched for specific ultraviolet wavelengths from TRAPPIST-1 that would be absorbed by hydrogen. If a planet detected this light more than anticipated while transiting in front of the star, it could suggest that hydrogen was escaping from its atmosphere.

Although they found no definitive evidence, significant variabilities in different observations hint that extra light is being emitted at certain times. Hubble data can be divided into 5-minute increments, showing that this additional light is fleeting. DeWitt and his team deduce that these must be microflares — akin to solar flares from our sun, but occurring more frequently.

TRAPPIST-1 is quite faint, requiring astronomers to observe for extended periods to gather enough light. “Furthermore, there’s this flaring activity, which coincides with the timing of the transiting planets,” DeWitt states. “It’s particularly difficult to draw any conclusive insights regarding the existence of [atmospheres on the exoplanets],” he adds.

DeWitt and his colleagues also assessed whether these flares could impede a planet’s ability to retain its atmosphere. They found that one planet, TRAPPIST-1b, which the James Webb Space Telescope had already failed to detect atmospheric evidence for, could lose an equivalent of 1,000 times the hydrogen found in Earth’s oceans every million years. However, it’s often challenging to pinpoint which of these flares actually impact the planet. DeWitt suggests many uncertainties and various scenarios still need exploration.

Such stars can exhibit varying activity levels, but TRAPPIST-1 appears to be experiencing a more active phase, states Ekaterina Ilin from the Dutch Institute of Radio Astronomy. “This outcome isn’t completely unexpected or otherworldly; it’s just unfortunate. It’s more active than we had hoped,” she remarks. “In a way, it adds new layers to interpreting these flares, especially if you consider them.”

Topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Magnetic Flares Could Be Key to the Formation and Distribution of Gold and Other Heavy Elements

Posted on by
Reply

Since the Big Bang, the early universe has contained hydrogen, helium, and a minimal amount of lithium. Heavier elements, such as iron, were formed within stars. Yet, one of astrophysics’ greatest enigmas is how the first elements heavier than iron, like gold, were created and dispersed throughout the cosmos. A recent study by astronomers at Columbia University and other institutions suggests that a single flare from a magnetar could generate 27 equivalent masses of these elements simultaneously.

Impressions of Magnetar artists. Image credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/S. Wesinger.

For decades, astronomers have theorized about the origins of some of nature’s heaviest elements, like gold, uranium, and platinum.

However, a fresh examination of older archival data indicates that up to 10% of these heavy elements in the Milky Way may originate from the emissions of highly magnetized neutron stars, known as magnetars.

“Until recently, astronomers largely overlooked the role that magnetars, the remnants of supernovae, might play in the formation of early galaxies,” remarked Todd Thompson, a professor at Ohio State University.

“Neutron stars are incredibly unique, dense objects known for their large size and strong magnetic fields. They are similar to black holes but not quite the same.”

The origin of heavy elements has long been a mystery, but scientists have understood that these elements can only form under specific conditions through a process known as the R process (or rapid neutron capture process).

This process was observed in 2017 when astronomers detected a collision between two super-dense neutron stars.

This event was captured using NASA telescopes and the LIGO gravitational wave observatory, providing the first direct evidence that heavy metals can be produced by celestial phenomena.

However, subsequent evidence suggests that neutron star collisions may not form heavy elements swiftly in the early universe, indicating that additional mechanisms might be necessary to account for all these elements.

Based on these insights, Professor Thompson and his colleagues realized that powerful magnetar flares could act as significant ejectors of heavy elements. This conclusion was validated by the observation of the SGR 1806-20 magnetar flare that occurred 20 years ago.

By analyzing this flare event, the researchers found that the radioactive decay of the newly formed elements aligns with theoretical predictions concerning the timing and energy released by magnetar flares after ejecting heavy R-process elements.

“This is the second time we’ve observed direct evidence of where these elements are produced, first linked to neutron star mergers,” stated Professor Brian Metzger from Columbia University.

“This marks a significant advancement in our understanding of heavy element production.”

“We are based at Columbia University,” mentioned Anildo Patel, a doctoral candidate at the institution.

The researchers also theorized that magnetar flares generate heavy cosmic rays and very fast particles, the origins of which remain unclear.

“I am always excited by new ideas about how systems and discoveries in space operate,” said Professor Thompson.

“That’s why seeing results like this is so thrilling.”

The team’s paper was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

____

Anirudh Patel et al. 2025. Direct evidence for R-process nuclear synthesis in delayed MeV radiation from SGR 1806-20 magnetar giant flares. ApJL 984, L29; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ADC9B0

Source: www.sci.news

The frequency of giant solar flares from the sun may be higher than previously believed

Posted on by
Reply

This relatively small solar flare that occurred in October (a bright flash at the center discovered by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory) would be dwarfed by a superflare.

NASA/SDO

The sun can produce extremely powerful bursts of radiation more often than we think. According to research on stars similar to the Sun, such “superflares” appear to occur about once every 100 years, and are particle storms that can have a devastating effect on electronic equipment on Earth. may be accompanied by The last major solar storm to hit Earth was 165 years ago, so we may be hit by another solar storm soon, but how similar is our Sun to these other stars? is unknown.

Direct measurements of solar activity did not begin until the mid-20th century. In 1859, our star produced a very powerful solar flare, or emission of light. These are often associated with subsequent coronal mass ejections (CMEs), bubbles of magnetized plasma particles that shoot into space.

In fact, this flare was followed by a CME that crashed into the Earth, causing a violent geomagnetic storm. This was recorded by astronomers at the time and is now known as the Carrington phenomenon. If this were to happen today, communications systems and power grids could be disrupted.

There is also evidence that there were even more powerful storms on Earth long before the Carrington incident. Assessment of radiocarbon content in tree rings and ice cores suggests that extremely high-energy particles occasionally rained down on Earth over several days, but this could be attributed to a one-time, massive solar outburst. It is unclear whether this is the case or whether it is due to several solar explosions. something small. It’s also unclear whether the Sun can produce such large flares and particle storms in a single explosion.

The frequency of these signs on Earth, and the frequency of superflares that astronomers have recorded on other stars, suggests that these giant bursts tend to occur hundreds to thousands of years apart. .

now, Ilya Usoskin Researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland studied 56,450 stars and found that stars similar to the Sun appear to emit superflares much more frequently.

“Superflares in stars like the Sun occur much more frequently than previously thought, about once every century or two,” Usoskin said. “If we believe this prediction for the Sun is correct, we would expect the Sun to have a superflare about every 100 to 200 years, and the only extreme solar storms we know of occur about once every 1500 or 2000 years. There will be a mismatch.”

Using the Kepler Space Telescope to measure the brightness of stars, Usoskin and colleagues detected a total of 2,889 superflares in 2,527 stars. The energies of these flares were 100 to 10,000 times the size of the Carrington event, the largest flare measured from the Sun.

Usoskin said it remains to be seen whether such large flares also cause large-particle phenomena, such as there is evidence for on Earth, but current solar theory cannot explain such large flares. That’s what it means. “This raises questions about what we’re actually seeing,” he says.

“It’s very impressive for a stellar flare survey,” he says. Matthew Owens At the University of Reading, UK. “They’ve clearly developed a new way to detect flares with increased sensitivity.”

Owens says it’s even harder to determine how much this tells us about the Sun’s flaring activity, in part because it’s difficult to accurately measure the rotation rates of other stars. It is said that it is for the sake of “The devil is in the details,” he says.

“The rotation rate is important because it is related to how the star generates its magnetic field, and magnetic fields are related to flare activity,” Owens said.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com