Cannibal CME is headed for the Earth today; Can spark a STRONG solar storm, says NOAA
The X1.6-class solar flare that released two powerful coronal mass ejections (CME) on August 5, has just become even more terrifying. According to a new NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) model, the two CME clouds have merged, with the second, faster one, overtaking and cannibalizing the first. The result is that the merged entity has become even more powerful. Even a glancing blow from such a cloud can spark a vicious solar storm. The latest forecast says the storm will hit the Earth later today, August 8, and can produce G3-class storms.
According to a report by SpaceWeather.com, “A new NOAA model shows the two CMEs leaving the sun on Aug. 5th, then merging to form a single 'cannibal CME' that delivers a glancing blow to Earth on Aug. 8th. Cannibal CMEs are famous for causing strong geomagnetic storms, and even a glancing blow can be effective. In this case, storm levels could reach category G2 (Moderate) with a slight chance of escalating to G3 (Strong)”.
At the moment, it is not confirmed whether the hit will be a head-on collision or a glancing blow. But researchers are keeping a close eye on the cloud to understand the condition.
A full-force strike can damage small satellites, impact mobile networks, and GPS, and even pose a threat to ground-based electronics and power grids by increasing the magnetic potential by huge amounts.
Cannibal coronal mass ejections (CME) take place when speeding solar eruptions overtake earlier eruptions in the same region of space, combining with the charged particles to form a giant, combined wavefront that triggers a powerful geomagnetic storm. This always has a higher electromagnetic output and can cause significant damage to satellites and communication systems.
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