Major X2.8 solar flare erupts from Region 3514

A powerful solar flare measuring X2.8 erupted from Active Region 3514 at 17:02 UTC on December 14, 2023. The event started at 16:47 and ended at 17:12 UTC. This is the strongest solar flare since September 10, 2017, and the strongest flare of the current Solar Cycle.

A Type II Radio Emission with an estimated velocity of 2 118 km/s was associated with the event, indicating a coronal mass ejection (CME) was associated with the flare event.

A Type IV Radio Emission was also detected. Type IV emissions occur in association with major eruptions on the sun and are typically associated with strong coronal mass ejections and solar radiation storms.

Spectacular global disturbances from an energetic CME on 2023/12/14. It was associated with an X2.8 flare in AR 13514. We see >10 MeV protons are increasing, but it is not clear if the flux reaches 10 pfu (NOAA S1 level). This CME may only glance Earth at best. pic.twitter.com/X3id9CeBBk

— Halo CME (@halocme) December 15, 2023

Additionally, the event was associated with a tenflare (4 800 sfu) and a Castelli U radio signature. Particularly high radio burst values were noted on the 245hz, 410hz, and 610Hz.

A full halo CME was produced, with a glancing blow likely in 2 – 3 days.

Radio frequencies were forecast to be most degraded over South America at the time of the flare.

The event follows M5.8 solar flare detected at 07:44 UTC today from the same region and multiple CMEs

Region 3514 (N05W43, Ekc/Beta-Gamma) — the source of X2.8, M5.8 and several C-class flares — has experienced substantial spot growth and a rise in magnetic complexity over the past 24 hours. Similarly, Regions 3519 (S12E32, Dao/Beta) and 3520 (N10W41, Dao/Beta) showed growth and activity, with Region 3519 contributing to a few C-class flares. Other regions remained mostly quiet and stable.

Featured image credit: NASA SDO/AIA 304, Helioviewer, The Watchers