Table 1 Four types of Earth-affecting solar transients and their key physical processes and geoeffectiveness
From: Earth-affecting solar transients: a review of progresses in solar cycle 24
Earth-affecting solar transients | Key physical processes | Effects on near-earth space environment | Effects on technological system and life |
Solar flares | Magnetic reconnection; ideal MHD instability; particle acceleration; plasma heating | Disturbances in the ionosphere; heating and expansion of upper atmosphere | High-frequency radio communication; satellite drag (Earth climate from long-term variation of solar irradiance) |
CMEs and ICMEs | Ideal MHD instability; flux rope formation; shock formation; particle acceleration; aerodynamic drag; CME-CME interaction; magnetic reconnection | Geomagnetic storms; substorms; disturbances in the ionosphere; ionosphere scintillations; radiation belt storms | GPS systems and navigation; satellite communication; high-frequency radio communication; electric power transmission; satellite degradation and failure (single event upset; dielectric material charging and discharging; surface charging); radiation hazards to astronauts; radiation hazards to aircraft crew and passengers |
SEPs | Particle acceleration; injection; propagation; turbulence | Particle radiation storms | Satellite degradation and failure; high-frequency radio communication; radiation hazards to astronauts; atmospheric chemistry |
SIRs/CIRs | Stream interaction; particle acceleration | Substorms; geomagnetic storms | Similar to CMEs to a lesser extent |