NOAAVisualizations | Solar Storm Eruption: Coronal Mass Ejection Headed for Earth @NOAAVisualizations | Uploaded 12 years ago | Updated 7 minutes ago
On Tuesday, March 6, 2012, a large solar flare erupted from the Sun. Data from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center suggest that the coronal mass ejection - the blast of plasma from the Sun's surface -could reach Earth by early Thursday morning (March 8, 2012). This animation shows the output from the WSA-Enlil space weather model for solar winds, developed in partnership with NASA and academia and run operationally by NOAA. The white through yellow and orange plumes indicate the density of the coronal mass ejection plasma as it heads towards Earth (orange is the highest density). The sun is centered as an orange circle. The size of Earth is represented in relative scale -- a small dot compared to the size of the Sun or the coronal mass ejection. Geomagnetic storms from these kinds of space weather events can affect the power grid, navigation systems and other technologies. NOAA provides space weather forecasting for the nation, and forecasters at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center are issuing updates regularly.
The impressive flare from Tuesday evening and a corresponding radiation storm are already triggering high-frequency radio outages at Earth's poles, which could last a day or more, and possible temporary outages on parts of the day-lit Earth. Hear the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center's Robert Rutledge describe the different kinds of space weather in his video on this channel.
On Tuesday, March 6, 2012, a large solar flare erupted from the Sun. Data from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center suggest that the coronal mass ejection - the blast of plasma from the Sun's surface -could reach Earth by early Thursday morning (March 8, 2012). This animation shows the output from the WSA-Enlil space weather model for solar winds, developed in partnership with NASA and academia and run operationally by NOAA. The white through yellow and orange plumes indicate the density of the coronal mass ejection plasma as it heads towards Earth (orange is the highest density). The sun is centered as an orange circle. The size of Earth is represented in relative scale -- a small dot compared to the size of the Sun or the coronal mass ejection. Geomagnetic storms from these kinds of space weather events can affect the power grid, navigation systems and other technologies. NOAA provides space weather forecasting for the nation, and forecasters at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center are issuing updates regularly.
The impressive flare from Tuesday evening and a corresponding radiation storm are already triggering high-frequency radio outages at Earth's poles, which could last a day or more, and possible temporary outages on parts of the day-lit Earth. Hear the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center's Robert Rutledge describe the different kinds of space weather in his video on this channel.
