Sunspot group, AR11429 (Active Region), is at it again. When it first began its journey across the Earthward side of the Sun it released an M-class flare, an X-class flare and several more M flares, along with several CMEs. Early on March 7, 2012 (00:24 UT) it erupted with an X5.4 flare, a coronal wave and a CME. Shortly after that (01:14) it erupted again with an X1.3 flare, another coronal wave and a CME. The CMEs were observed by the Cor2 coronagraph on STEREO Behind.
Solar radio bursts also accompanied the flares and proton flux began to rise. This proton event is probably due to both the flares and the CME produced shocks. Earth’s magnetosphere is already disturbed due an early CME from AR11429 and it will probably feel at least a glancing blow from one or both of the recent CMEs in the next few days. We await more data and predictions from the various spacecraft and space weather research teams. More is sure to come from AR11429.
credit: NASA, ESA, NOAA, SDO, SOHO, STEREO, GOES, helioviewer.org, JHelioviewer and www.virtuallinda.com
