Scientists pinpoint source of harmful particles

Scientists have pinpointed the source of high energy particles originating from the sun that can be hazardous to air passengers and affect satellites.

These particles shoot from the sun at high speed during storms in its outer atmosphere.

If they reach Earth, they could disrupt satellites and electronic infrastructure, as well as posing a possible radiation risk to astronauts and people travelling in planes.

In 1859 a large solar storm called the Carrington Event caused widespread issues with telegraph systems across Europe and the United States.

Given the reliance on electricity today, a repeat storm of such magnitude could be far more devastating.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) and George Mason University in the US believe they have located where on the sun these particles come from, in a bid to better predict when they might strike again.

Their findings, published in Science Advances journal, indicate that the particles have the same “fingerprint” as plasma located low in the sun’s corona, close to the middle region of the sun’s atmosphere.

“In our study we have observed for the first time exactly where solar energetic particles come from on the sun,” said co-author Dr Stephanie Yardley, from UCL.

“Our evidence supports theories that these highly-charged particles originate from plasma that has been held down low in the sun’s atmosphere by strong magnetic fields,” she said.

Researchers made the discovery using measurements from Nasa’s Wind satellite, located between the sun and Earth.