The Jeddah Astronomical Society has revealed new developments in solar activity. Engineer Majid Abu Zahra, the society's president, announced that satellites dedicated to monitoring the sun have documented a large coronal hole in the sun's outer atmosphere. This hole is characterized by its elongated, deep-ditched structure and is currently positioned directly towards Earth, making it a source of high-speed solar wind currents.
Details of the expected storm and its arrival time
Extreme ultraviolet observational data have revealed that this coronal hole is ejecting a high-speed stream of charged particles (solar wind) toward our planet. According to space weather models and computer simulations, this wind is expected to reach Earth's magnetic field on December 18, 2025. The forecast indicates a potential G1- , the weakest category on the five-category solar storm scale.
What are coronal holes?
To provide a deeper understanding of this phenomenon, coronal holes are scientifically defined as regions in the solar corona (the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere) where the plasma density and temperature are lower than in the surrounding areas, causing them to appear as dark spots in X-ray and ultraviolet images. The most significant characteristic of these regions is that their magnetic field lines are "open" and extend far into space, rather than closing back onto the Sun's surface. This allows the solar wind to escape at extremely high speeds, sometimes exceeding 600 kilometers per second.
The context of the solar cycle and its effects
This phenomenon occurs within the normal activity of the current solar cycle (cycle 25), during which the Sun undergoes cycles of activity lasting approximately 11 years, ranging from quiet to peak. Monitoring these holes is vital for astronomers and space agencies, not only to understand the physics of the parent star but also to protect terrestrial and space technologies. Historically, major solar storms in the past, such as the Carrington Event of 1859, caused enormous disruptions, but the current expected storm (G1) is far from reaching those dangerous levels.
Potential impacts on the land and the Arab region
Regarding the direct effects of the expected G1 storm, Engineer Abu Zahra confirmed that it does not pose a threat to human safety or critical electrical infrastructure. The effects may be limited to:
- Very slight fluctuations in power grids in some countries located at high latitudes.
- Limited effects on satellite operations in low orbits.
- The appearance of the aurora borealis (northern lights) in the polar regions, northern Europe and Canada, is a spectacular visual phenomenon resulting from the interaction of solar particles with the atmosphere.
As for the Arab region, the head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society reassured the public that the geographical location of the Arab countries within the medium and low latitudes makes them completely safe from the direct effects of these weak magnetic storms, and the population will not feel any changes, and communications, internet or air navigation services in the region will not be affected.
