New research suggests our sun , has the ability to produce bursts of energy and radiation 1,000 times more powerful than regular solar flares . If true, this has implications for how we would protect us from potentially catastrophic solar storms .
The study, to be published in Astrophysical Journal Letters , was led by scientists at the University of Warwick. They looked at a distant binary star called KIC 9655129 in the Milky Way , which is known to have solar flares .
These massive explosions were first found in the 1970s , it was thought by produced by a process of regular solar flares . However , research shows that the physics of solar flares of KIC 9655129 , is noticeably almost periodic , appearing constantly on the Kepler space telescope , and are similar to eruptions in lower expression of our sun .
And the study shows that for almost the same structure of both , it would be possible to take place in our sun. But Pugh , who led the research, said that the chances of this happening soon was " incredibly unlikely " , although it is possible every 600 years , according to other research.
And there is evidence for the producers of solar flares from our sun in the past. "Looking at the Arctic ice cores , scientists have found certain " bombing " of radiation, suggesting that this is due to a large solar flare in 700 AD and 900 AD ," said Pugh . " It was not too long ago ."
A solar flare pointed toward Earth can cause damage to satellites and even astronauts in orbit, with an energy equivalent to a pump 100 million megatons . We have a variety of space weather prediction centers around the world to help mitigate the effects , such as shutting down satellites, but if a storm is powerful enough , then the radiation may be too much even for the most resistant to it.
Solar explosions seem to be like a sunspot . In some stars that can cover almost 50 percent of the star's surface. In the sun , according to Pugh , it might be one-eighth of a quarter of its surface , although this is a very high estimate. These active regions may persist for days , releasing several solar flares , seemingly at random , but within that timescale . Then there would be some indication when it may be about to occur , and we could do our best to reduce its effects if it was pointed at us .