Impending Radio Blackouts: Earth's Poles at Risk from "Cannibal" Space Event
The ongoing solar storm has the potential to cause radio blackouts at Earth's polar regions due to a phenomenon called Polar Cap Absorption (PCA), where high-frequency radio waves are absorbed while low-frequency waves are reflected at lower altitudes. The storm, triggered by a "cannibal" coronal mass ejection (CME) and a solar flare, has been ongoing since Monday evening and is expected to continue until July 19. The solar radiation storm is classified as S1, meaning it won't have biological impacts or affect satellite operations but could cause radio blackouts at the poles.