Astronomers have detected the first-ever CME from another star (red dwarf named StKM 1-1262, located 133 light years away) , proving such events are not unique to our Sun.

About the Breakthrough Observation

• Intensity: The eruption was 10,00 times more energetic than any solar CME recorded on the Sun.
• Duration: The entire explosion lasted just one minute, indicating extremely violent magnetic reconnection.
• Planetary Risk: Such intense CMEs could strip atmospheres from nearby exoplanets, eliminating chances of life.

How the Discovery Was Made

• Detection Method: The event was identified using data from LOFAR (Low Frequency Array), a European network of low-frequency radio telescopes.
  • LOFAR is typically used to study extreme cosmic events such as black holes, which emit stable radio signals.

• Hidden Signals: Researchers developed a secondary data system to store weaker background signals from stars.
• Breakthrough Analysis: In 2022, scientists reviewing this stored data discovered the massive CME event on StKM 1-1262.

Significance for Astronomy and Space Weather

• New Era in Stellar Space Weather: 
  • The detection inaugurates a new phase of studying space weather in star systems beyond our own.
  • This provides first direct evidence of how violent stellar activity can be outside the solar system.
• Stellar Magnetic Activity: CMEs give insight into star magnetic fields, flares, and extreme energetic processes in the universe.
• Exoplanet Habitability: Extremely violent CMEs can strip atmospheres off Earth-like planets, increase radiation levels and destabilise climates
  • Important for evaluating life-supporting conditions around red dwarfs, which make up 75% of stars in the universe.
• Better Solar Weather Modelling: Studying extreme stellar CMEs helps refine models of solar storms affecting Earth.

What are Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)?

• Definition: CMEs are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun’s corona into space.
• Composition: They contain billions of tons of charged particles (electrons, protons, ions) carried by strong magnetic fields.
• Cause: Triggered by magnetic energy buildup and sudden release in the Sun’s corona.
• Relation with Solar Flares: Solar flares and CMEs often occur together, but CMEs are much larger and slower, with long-lasting geomagnetic effects.

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Impact on Earth & Technology

• Satellites & GPS: CMEs can damage satellite electronics, cause GPS inaccuracy, and disrupt communications.
• Power Grids: Strong geomagnetic storms can induce currents that overload transformers, as in the 1989 Quebec blackout.
• Aviation: Aircraft flying polar routes may face blackouts in HF communication, forcing flight diversions.
• Space Missions: Astronauts on the ISS face increased radiation exposure, requiring protection protocols.
• Auroras: CMEs create spectacular auroras, seen unusually far south (e.g., Tennessee, USA) during the Nov 12, 2024 storm.

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