Sun “wakes up” after decades of low activity and surprises NASA scientists

NASA has announced that the sun has shown a significant increase in activity in the last 16 years, reversing a fall trend that has lasted decades and surprising the scientific community.

The discovery, published in early September in the Astrophysical Journal Letterswas conducted by researchers Jamie Jasinski and Marco Velli, from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the US Space Agency.

So far, it was believed that the star would enter a prolonged period of low intensity, known as “deep solar minimum”.

Between 1980 and 2008, measurements indicated a constant weakening of the solar wind and the magnetic field, leading specialists to predict a cycle of historical inactivity.

However, since 2008, observations have shown an increase in plasma ejections and the strengthening of the magnetic field throughout the solar system.

This sun’s “awakening” occurs during the current Solar Cycle 25, which began in 2020, which succeeded the weakest cycle recorded in a century.

The growth of solar activity can have direct effects on the so -called space climate, increasing the frequency of solar storms, eruptions and ejections of coronal mass.

These phenomena represent risks to satellites, space missions and astronauts, and can affect land systems such as electrical networks, GPS and radio communications.

In May 2024, for example, the land faced the most intense geomagnetic storm in more than 20 years, which made Aurora Boreal see even in Mexico.

To better monitor and predict these events, NASA and NOAA (Oceanic and Atmospheric National Administration) plan to launch new missions, such as Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and Carruthers Geocorone Observatory, as well as the SWFO-L1 satellite.

These initiatives aim to improve the understanding of the space environment and protect both technological operations and the health of astronauts, especially in the context of the Artemis program, which provides for the return of humans to the moon.

The next solar cycle, the number 26, should start between 2029 and 2032, but there are no predictions about its intensity.

Meanwhile, scientists reinforce the importance of closely monitoring changes in sun behavior, as severe solar storms have the potential to cause blackouts, stop internet services, and compromise global communication systems.