An explosion on the far side of the sun has resulted in a multi-day radio blackout in the Arctic, according to a report by Newsweek:
“This blackout, known as a polar cap absorption event (PCA event), wiped out all radio signals at frequencies below 30 MHz.
“The PCA event was sparked by a solar flare emitted by sunspot AR3664 on the opposite side of the sun that funneled high-energy protons toward our planet’s poles.
“This is the very same sunspot region that has been spitting out powerful solar flares and coronal mass ejections for the last month, including the train of intense plumes of solar plasma that sparked aurorae to be visible from all U.S. states on May 10.
“PCA events are typically triggered by solar flares, which are sudden, intense bursts of radiation from the sun. These flares accelerate protons and other charged particles to high energies, which then follow the planet’s magnetic field lines, converging at the poles in a solar radiation storm.
“These particles cause increased ionization in the lower part of the ionosphere, leading to increased absorption of high-frequency (HF) radio waves and a subsequent degradation or complete loss of HF radio communications in the polar regions.”
To read the entire article by Newsweek, please click HERE.
