CRISISBOOM

A solar flare—the strongest one in four years—messed with China’s communications in the southern portion of the country over the past several days, according to media reports.

The recent, massive solar flare that was emitted by the sun on Tuesday caused a jam in China’s shortwave radio communications, according to the report.

Shortwave radio transmissions throughout the southern part of the country were affected by the flare, which is essentially a large explosion on the surface of the sun, state-run Xinhua reported, citing the China Meteorological Administration.

On Tuesday, the sun blasted off a powerful X2.2 flare from its southern hemisphere, according to NASA.
Xue Bingsen, a researcher at the national meteorological center, told Xinhua that the flare caused disruptions in the Earth’s ionosphere. When shortwave radio transmissions are sent out, they bounce off the ionosphere.

The Tuesday solar flare was preceded by a smaller one on Sunday, Space.com reported.

“It just means that Solar Cycle 24 is ramping up!” Phil Chamberlin, with the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory told the website. “This is the first of probably many more X-class flare to occur over the next 2 to 4 years as we reach the peak and then descend back down from solar cycle 24 maximum.”