The article discusses the dual nature of the sun, highlighting its serene appearance contrasted by its potential for powerful solar storms. These storms, caused by charged particles and magnetic fields generated in the sun's plasma, can disrupt Earth's technology, including power grids and satellites. Solar flares, intense energy eruptions from the sun's surface, can release energy comparable to the sun's total output over a longer period. Additionally, the article notes that larger flares have occurred in history, showcasing the sun's powerful impacts on Earth's atmosphere.
In our daily lives, the sun seems constant and quiet, sedately shining at a steady pace. But looks can be deceiving; our star can also blast out powerful solar storms.
These storms are magnetic in nature. A fundamental rule in physics is that charged particles create magnetic fields around them as they move.
The most powerful flare we've ever directly measured occurred in 2003, emitting about 7 x 10^25 joules of energy in a few hours.
Historically, our star has spat out much bigger flares. High-speed subatomic particles from solar storms create isotopes in our atmosphere.
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