Sun emits fourth `X-class` solar flare in a week

Washington: The sun emitted its fourth X-class solar flare since Oct. 23, 2013.

The solar flare - powerful bursts of radiation - peaked at 5:54 p.m. on Oct. 29, 2013. Harmful radiation from a flare is unable to pass through Earth`s atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however-when intense enough-they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel. This disrupts the radio signals for as long as the flare is ongoing, anywhere from minutes to hours. This flare is classified as an X2.3 class flare. " X-class" denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as intense, etc.