On July 14, 2000, a
powerful X5-class solar flare from active
region 9077 triggered an ongoing proton
storm in the vicinity of Earth. The
explosion also produced an
Earth-directed coronal mass ejection.
Material from the CME could arrive in
the neighborhood of our planet as early
as Saturday, triggering auroras and
other geomagnetic disturbances.

The radiation storm appears to be an S3-class
event which, according to NOAA space weather
prediction scales, can cause the following effects
on satellites: single-event upsets, noise in imaging
systems, permanent damage to exposed components/detectors,
and decrease of solar panel currents.

Space Weather

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), July 14, 2000