Ions heat up more than electrons during solar flares: Study
A new study found that ions in solar flares can reach a wild 108 million degrees Fahrenheit (that's about 60 million Celsius)—up to six times hotter than electrons, and much higher than scientists expected.
This challenges the old idea that ions and electrons heat up the same during these big solar events.
How do solar flares form?
Solar flares happen when built-up magnetic energy in the Sun's atmosphere suddenly bursts out—a process called magnetic reconnection.
While electrons heat up to around 10-15 million degrees Celsius, ions get supercharged past 60 million.
Because heat moves slowly between them, ions stay extra hot for longer, which also changes how we spot these flares from Earth.
What does this mean for space weather?
Knowing that ions get so much hotter means we've probably been underestimating how powerful solar flares really are.
Scientists say it's time to update our space weather models—which help protect satellites, astronauts, and flights from solar storms—by treating ions and electrons separately.
Future missions will test these findings by measuring ion temperatures right at the source.