Scientists have studied the connection between solar flares, plasma ejections, and "coronal dimmings"

Overview of the evolution of the X1.1 flare and associated dimming on 2024 May 9 (no. 29). Top row: SDO/AIA 211 Å direct images of AR 13664 at the flare’s onset, peak time, and the end of the impulsive dimming phase. Second row: Corresponding logarithmic base-ratio images sharing the same colour scale, indicated by the bar in the left panel. Third row: Timing map indicating the first detection time of a dimming pixel (left), the HMI LOS magnetogram with the dimming region outlined in cyan contours (middle), and the minimum intensity map from logarithmic base-ratio data (right).

Tatiana Podladchikova, one of the study authors, Director of the Center for Digital Engineering at Skoltech and Head of the Space Weather Laboratory.

"In May 2024, the active solar region AR 13664 produced a series of powerful flares and plasma ejections, triggering the most intense geomagnetic storm in 20 years. We studied the coronal dimmings associated with these events temporary darkenings in the Sun’s atmosphere. It turned out that the parameters of these dimmings (area, formation speed) are closely linked to the strength of the flares and the velocity of the ejections. These findings are crucial for early space weather forecasting, as they enable more accurate predictions of dangerous solar storms capable of disrupting satellites and terrestrial power grids."