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Solar storms are a phenomenon usual in the stars and the radiation from these events can sometimes affect the planets. For example, a rash extremma of the Sun can affect l magnetic field of the Earth -which normally protects us effectively to these situations by causing damage from the satellites that orbit our planet to electrical networks in the most serious cases, as demonstrated by the event Carrington . For this reason, it is important for scientists to study the phenomenon in order to prepare for a eventual and catastrophic solar storm .
The new telescope in Okayama (Japan) is just shown as a tool truly effective to see this rare phenomenon not only in our Sun, but other stars. In fact, astronomers of the Kyoto University and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) have succeeded in observing a series of 12 “superllamaradas” in the constellation Leo , in a red dwarf 16 light-years. Even one of these violent eruptions recorded a force 20 times more powerful than those emitted by our star.
“The solar flares are sudden explosions that emanate from the surfaces of the stars, including our own Sun”, explains in a press release Kosuke Namekata , the first author of the article published in the journal “Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan”. “On rare occasions, there will be a superllama extremely large. This produces magnetic storms, massive, that when it is emitted from our Sun can affect the technological infrastructure of the Earth”.
unprecedented
In their study, the team reports the observation of AD Leonis , a red dwarf M-type which is cooler than our Sun, which results in an increased incidence of rashes. The team hoped that some of these flares were big, but were surprised to detect a super flare in your first night of observations . “Our analysis of the super-eruption resulted in some very interesting data. The light of hydrogen atoms excited in the flame indicated that there were approximately 10 times more high energy electrons than those observed in the eruptions typical of our Sun , ” explains Namekata.
The team also observed flashes where the light of hydrogen atoms excited increased, but not corresponded with an increase in brightness on the rest of the visible spectrum. “This was also new for us, because the studies of flares typical have observed the continuous spectrum of light, the wide range of wavelengths, instead of the energy coming from specific atoms,” continues Namekata, which emphasizes the new technology of the telescope used to observe the phenomenon.
Kazunari Shibata , leader of the study, concludes: “More information on these stellar phenomena fundamental will help us to predict super flares, and possibly mitigate the damage of the magnetic storms here on Earth . We could even begin to understand how these emissions may affect the existence —or the emergence— of life on other planets”.
