Solar Flare Causes Radio Blackouts

NOAA Issues Alert

May 9, 2024

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center issued an alert warning of a solar flare that could disrupt high-frequency (HF) radio communications. The flare erupted from the sun at 20:38 UTC and was classified as an X-ray flare, the most powerful type of solar flare. The flare caused a radio blackout over large parts of the Earth, including North America, Europe, and Asia.

The radio blackout was caused by the flare's intense radiation, which ionized the Earth's ionosphere. The ionosphere is a layer of the Earth's atmosphere that reflects HF radio waves back to the ground. When the ionosphere is ionized, it becomes more difficult for HF radio waves to penetrate, causing radio blackouts.

The radio blackout caused widespread disruptions to HF radio communications, including aviation and maritime communications. The blackout also affected some satellite communications and GPS navigation systems.

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center is forecasting that the solar flare will continue to cause radio blackouts for the next few days. The center is urging users of HF radio communications to be prepared for disruptions.

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