Three powerful solar flashes occurred on the Sun on July 16, according to the website of the Russian Institute of Applied Geophysics named after Academician E. Fedorov. One of them was reportedly accompanied by a radio communication violation.
"At 11:26 Moscow time, an outbreak of class M (M 1.1) lasting 14 minutes was registered in the X-ray range in the group of spots 3372 (N21E30). The outbreak was accompanied by a violation of short-wave radio communications," the publication said.
At 18:08 and 20:46 Moscow time, two more bursts of M1.8 and M4.0, respectively, occurred.
According to a space weather forecast for July 16-17, "Class X flares, including proton flares, are possible." The deterioration of short-wave radio communication conditions is also expected.
It is customary to distinguish four classes of solar flares: X — the most powerful, M — medium, C — weak, A and B — almost imperceptible.
Solar flares can cause magnetic storms on Earth, which, in turn, lead to failures in the operation of power systems, as well as affect the migration routes of birds and animals. In addition, severe storms cause disruptions of shortwave communications and navigation systems, as well as voltage drops in industrial networks.