Solar Flares Can Disrupt Communications

Get Inside the Science:

• A Minute With...Jonathan Makela, expert on "space weather"
• Solar Dynamics Observatory
• Solar Cycle Prediction
• Jonathan J. Makela, Associate Professor, University of Illinois

Inside Science Buzzwords:

1. Solar flare  - a buildup of magnetic energy on the surface of the sun that is suddenly released through the ejection of charged particles into space

2. Solar cycle - the 11-year cycle of solar activity from solar minimum to solar maximum, which is monitored by measuring the amount of sunspots on the sun's surface.

3. Sunspots -dark spots on the surface of the sun where magnetic activity builds up.