New research from Queen's University Belfast indicates that Earth's atmosphere is more sensitive to solar radiation than previously understood. The study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, analyzed a powerful solar flare from 2012 and found that pulsations within the flare and Earth's atmosphere pulsed in sync.
According to the research team, rhythmic pulses from the sun, detected every 90 seconds, were followed by atmospheric responses just 30 seconds later. Aisling O'Hare, a PhD student at Queen's University Belfast, led the study. The team used space-based satellites and a network of GPS satellites and ground-based receivers to analyze the changes in the density of Earth's atmosphere.
Understanding the sun-Earth relationship is crucial, especially during the current solar maximum when flares are frequent. According to the researchers, powerful flares can disrupt GPS systems and cause radio blackouts. This new understanding of the rapid atmospheric response could help mitigate the effects of future solar flares.