What Are Solar Storms?
"Solar storm" is a general term for eruptions on the Sun that can affect Earth: solar flares (bursts of radiation) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) (eruptions of plasma and magnetic field). When these reach or impact Earth, they can cause geomagnetic storms, aurora, and effects on technology. The term is not a formal scientific classification but is widely used in space weather communication.
Flares vs. CMEs
Flares reach Earth in ~8 minutes (radiation); they can cause ionospheric disturbances and radio blackouts. CMEs take 1–3 days (plasma); they can trigger geomagnetic storms and aurora. Both are more common near solar maximum. Cosmic Radar lists reported flares and CMEs in the daily report with the Kp index and aurora outlook.
Sources and further reading
- NOAA – Solar flares – Flares and radiation storms
- NOAA – CMEs – Coronal mass ejections
- NASA Space Weather – Solar storms and impacts