Did you know? Here’s a space weather and radio...

Did you know? Here’s a space weather and radio propagation educational tidbit – from http://SunSpotWatch.com – at 14:00 UTC on 2017-04-30:

X-ray flares are classified by x-ray brightness in wavelength range 1 to 8 Angstroms. Three main categories for X-ray flares: ‘C’ ’M’ and 'X’; C-class=minor,X-class=major.

X-class flares are big! A flare that is measured in the X-class range is a major event that could trigger planet-wide radio blackouts. An X-class flare could also cause a long-lasting radiation storm and proton event. The effect on the ionosphere may last many hours, when the flare is extremely powerful.

M-class flares are medium-sized; they can cause brief radio blackouts (lasting mere minutes, or a few hours). Minor radiation storms sometimes follow an M-class flare.

By the way, a Polar Cap Absorption (PCA) Event is caused by the radiation storms triggered by flares, and the bigger the flare, the more intense the PCA may become.

Compared to X- and M-class events, C-class flares are small. They have a minor effect on the ionosphere, and therefore on radio communications are not so terribly affected.

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