The Russian Academy of Sciences Space Research Institute’s Laboratory of Solar Astronomy and Heliophysical Instrumentation, and the RAS Siberian branch’s Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics, reported today that an exceptionally strong jump in all parameters of the interplanetary environment was recorded at 08:30 Moscow time (05:30 GMT). “Very high values of density and temperature are observed. The latter, if we believe the satellite readings, is now more than 2 million degrees with normal values only about 100,000 degrees. There is a possibility that such values have never been recorded in the history of observations, or are close to historical maximums,” the report says.
The report says that the plasma cloud covered the distance from the Sun to the Earth in a record time-frame—almost a day faster than was forecast. Researchers are having difficulty in understanding what is really happening, as the data contradict all their forecasts and expectations. On May 31, researchers reported an M8.2 solar flare, which was accompanied by the largest plasma emission this year. The letter M indicates that it is a medium-sized flare, but it occurred right on the Sun-Earth line, which means that our planet will receive the largest dose of plasma since the beginning of the year. According to Sky & Telescope magazine today, it released a billion-ton cloud of charged particles at Earth, sending a salvo of electrons and protons into the upper atmosphere Sunday morning, June 1. Most likely, we will have a near-extreme storm (class G4 out of five possible), but there is a small (2%) chance of getting a top-class storm, say space weather experts. An aurora borealis could be seen as far south as New Mexico.
