Moderately strong M5.1 solar flare erupted

moderate-m5-1-solar-flare-erupted

A moderately strong M5.1 solar flared erupted around Sunspots 2172 and 2173 at 02:58 UTC on September 28, 2014. The event was associated with a Type II and Type IV Radio Emissions, along with a 10cm Radio Burst (TenFlare). 

GOES X-Ray flux and SDO's AIA 094 image from 03:15 UTC at September 28, 2014. (SWPC/NASA/SDO/HMI)

Type IV emissions occur in association with major eruptions on the sun and are typically associated with strong coronal mass ejections and solar radiation storms. Type II emissions occur in association with eruptions on the sun and typically indicate a coronal mass ejection is associated with a flare event.

A 10cm radio burst indicates that the electromagnetic burst associated with a solar flare at the 10cm wavelength was double or greater than the initial 10cm radio background. This can be indicative of significant radio noise in association with a solar flare. This noise is generally short-lived but can cause interference for sensitive receivers including radar, GPS, and satellite communications.

SDO's AIA 1600 image of M5.1 flare at 02:47 UTC on September 28, 2014. (Credit: Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams)

This event also reached moderate R2 Radio Blackout, which can cause limited blackout of HF radio communication on sunlit side, loss of radio contact for tens of minutes and degradation of low-frequency navigation signals for tens of minutes. Extreme UV radiation from the flare disturbed the normal propagation of radio transmissions around our planet. 

For now it looks like there is no Earth-directed CME. 

ALERT: Type IV Radio Emission
Begin Time: 2014 Sep 28 0311 UTC
ALERT: Type II Radio Emission
Begin Time: 2014 Sep 28 0245 UTC
Estimated Velocity: 638 km/s 
SUMMARY: 10cm Radio Burst
Begin Time: 2014 Sep 28 0243 UTC
Maximum Time: 2014 Sep 28 0247 UTC
End Time: 2014 Sep 28 0248 UTC
Duration: 5 minutes
Peak Flux: 220 sfu
Latest Penticton Noon Flux: 181 sfu

There are currently 8 active regions on visible solar disk. Sunspot AR2175 has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for X-class solar flares. NOAA forecasters estimate a 65% chance of M-class flares and a 10% chance of X-flares in the next 24 hours.

Follow Sun's activity in real-time at TW's Space Weather Station

Featured image: AIA 304 image of M5.1 solar flare from September 28, 2014. (Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams)

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