What are Solar flares and how do they affect the Earth?

Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation associated with sunspots, the largest explosive events in our solar system

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Flares release magnetic energy, appearing as bright areas on the sun, and can last from minutes to hours

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Solar flares are monitored primarily in x-rays and optical light, and they accelerate particles like electrons and protons

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These outbursts are linked to the 11-year solar cycle, driven by the sun's magnetic field

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Flares often originate from sunspots, darker areas with strong magnetic fields, and the number of sunspots indicates flare likelihood

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Flares are classified by brightness in x-ray wavelengths: X-class causes global radio blackouts, M-class affects Earth's polar regions, and C-class has minimal consequences

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Solar flares produce dangerous high-energy particles and radiation, posing a threat to living organisms

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Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere protect us from most flare effects, but energetic charged particles and x-rays are the most harmful emissions

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X-rays from flares are stopped by the atmosphere, but they disturb the ionosphere, affecting radio communications and causing atmospheric expansion

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Intense radio emission and atmospheric changes from flares can degrade satellite communications, impacting systems like GPS

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