Unexpected solar flare gives off stunning UV radiation flash

nemesis maturity
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Wed, 30 Nov 2016 16:25 UTC

On Nov. 29th, new sunspot AR2615 erupted, producing two M-Class solar flares.

A pulse of UV and X-radiation from the explosion ionized the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. This affected the normal propagation of radio waves.

Mariners and ham radio operators may have noticed brief fade-outs and/or unexpected hops at frequencies below ~10 MHz.

Comment: From Spaceweather.com:

Following months of negligible solar flare activity, the sudden emergence of AR2615 and its subsequent explosion caught forecasters off guard. A pulse of UV and X-radiation from the explosion ionized the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean: map. This affected the normal propagation of radio waves. Mariners and ham radio operators may have noticed brief fade-outs and/or unexpected hops at frequencies below ~10 MHz.

A few hours later, it happened again. At 23:38 UT on Nov. 29th, AR2615 produced an M1.2-class flare, causing a short-lived radio blackout over Australia.

This is *not* a major space weather event, but it is a break from the sun's recent deepening quiet. NOAA forecasters estimate a 10% chance of additional M-flares on Nov. 30th.