Rare quadruple solar flare event on April 23, 2024

On April 23, 2024, a significant solar event occurred involving four simultaneous explosions on the Sun, characterized by the eruption of three sunspots and a magnetic filament. This unique activity spanned hundreds of thousands of kilometers and reached a combined X-ray output of M3.4, marking it as a notable instance of sympathetic solar flares.

Our star exhibited four explosive events almost concurrently from separate locations on its surface yesterday. The event, observed at ~03:30 UTC on April 23, involved three distinct sunspots and a magnetic filament. These eruptions, though physically distant, were linked by their timing and collective intensity, achieving a classification of M3.4 in X-ray output.

Dr. Tony Phillips of SpaceWeather.com explained that such phenomena, known as “sympathetic solar flares,” occur when separate solar regions erupt simultaneously due to interconnected magnetic structures rather than random coincidence. This understanding contradicts earlier beliefs that such events were merely coincidental and underscores a more complex interaction within the Sun’s corona.

Historically, the concept of sympathetic flares gained scientific credibility with a 2002 study published in The Astrophysical Journal. The research provided statistical evidence supporting the notion that these flares are not random but are instead connected through nearly invisible magnetic loops in the Sun’s corona. This network facilitates the rapid transmission of instabilities across vast distances, leading to synchronized eruptions.

The study analyzed 48 instances of nearly simultaneous flares, utilizing data from the GOES X-ray flare archive and Yohkoh’s soft X-ray telescope imagery. Researchers determined a significant correlation between the flares that occurred in pairs and the presence of interconnecting coronal loops, although no definitive proof was found that these loops directly influenced the likelihood of sympathetic flares occurring.

This recent quadruple flare event is not just a series of paired eruptions but a complex quartet that impacted much of the Sun’s Earth-facing hemisphere, Phillips said. The scale and nature of these eruptions bear similarities to the Great Eruption of August 1, 2010, which was one of the most extensive solar disturbances observed, involving multiple shock waves and flares across 180 degrees of solar longitude.

Current observations from SOHO’s coronagraph indicate several faint coronal mass ejections (CMEs) emanating from the Sun following the quadruple eruption. While it remains uncertain if any of these CMEs will impact Earth, their anticipated arrival would be around April 26, 2024, should they follow a direct path toward our planet.

References:

¹ Simultaneous solar flares – SpaceWeather.com – April 23, 2024

² Statistical evidence for sympathetic flares – Y. J. Moon et al. – The Astronomical Journal – July 20, 2002

Featured image credit: NASA SDO/AIA 304. Acquired at 03:38 UTC on April 23, 2024