Solar Flares: Early Warning Signs
Context
➡️ New study by Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, MAHE, ISRO & other researchers
Key Findings
➡️ Small, short-lived brightenings (“transient events”) appear in the Sun’s atmosphere hours before major solar flares
➡️ These events cluster around the region where the major flare later occurs
➡️ Repeated small-scale energy releases may progressively destabilise magnetic fields, eventually triggering a major flare
Aditya-L1 Role
➡️ Study used simultaneous UV & X-ray observations from Aditya-L1
➡️ SUIT: Observes the Sun in 11 Near-Ultraviolet (NUV) wavelengths
➡️ SoLEXS & HEL1OS: Measure X-ray emissions from energetic processes in the solar corona
Significance
➡️ Provides insights into the physical processes triggering solar flares
➡️ May improve early warning & forecasting of solar flares
➡️ Supports better Space Weather Prediction
Applications
➡️ Protection of satellites & astronauts
➡️ Safeguarding communication systems
➡️ Protection of other critical space technologies
UPSC Relevance
➡️ Aditya-L1, Solar Flares, Space Weather, Space-based Solar Observation, Satellite Security
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