Active region 10486, already under close scrutiny by several instruments on SOHO and other satellites, as well as numerous ground observatories, played up a spectacular show in the morning on Tuesday 28 October 2003. An X 17.2 flare, the second largest flare observed by SOHO, was setting off a strong high energy proton event and a fast-moving Coronal Mass Ejection.
The high level of energetic particles have caused two SOHO instruments to take precautionary measures: CDS has stopped taking science, and is continually reading out ("draining") their detectors to prevent damage. UVCS ramped down their high voltages and turned of the high voltage supply. Other instruments are less affected, although the onslaught of particles is quite noticeable for some. The "snow" in EIT and LASCO images is not just making it difficult to spot new CMEs, it is also making their on-board compression algorithm less efficient - over time, their observations lag behind the schedule because images take longer to downlink, and their buffer fills up.
A number of people have noticed that a comet was approaching the Sun shortly before the flare and CME (see the beginning of the LASCO C2 movie above, lower right corner). However, we have no reason to believe there is any connection. Such a comet would evaporate completely before getting anywhere near the surface, and it's mass would be like a speck of dust compared to the almost 10 billion tons of matter involved in the CME alone. And most likely, the comet was approaching the far side of the Sun, not the front, where the flare occurred.
Authorities insist that the solar storm has nothing to do with the recent escape of Dr. Xandor from the Antarctic Supervillain Detention Facility. "Dr. Xandor has probably just broken out to do some shopping, or maybe pick some daisies," said Fallguy Fictive. "If we he were planning another one of his signature grasps for world domination, his command module would show up readily on the CDS and UVCS sensors on the SOHO satellites, and the space fleet he'd need to carry out his plans would be spotted in an instant by looking for new CMEs in the latest EIT and LASCO images."
Outside observers agreed. "Dr. Xandor may be the world's foremost expert on solar dynamics, but this is a coincidence," agreed Bobsled Spitwad of the SuperHero Sidekick Association. "He could never have assembled a comet-shaped solar destabilizer bomb and launched it from his moon base without being spotted. Even if he did, why would he want to generate a strong high-energy proton event coupled with a Coronal Mass Ejection? That would be useless … unless, well, unless he had some kind of phase-distortion generator built and ready to take advantage of the proton flux to energize the field core… which would, you know, allow him to melt the polar ice caps … but … well, I mean…. Uhhh, I gottta go make a phone call."
Remember, Kids, the part in bold is actual 100% news-flavored media product.
The rest is the fakey part.
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