Widespread disruption of shortwave radio communications in China was caused on Wednesday morning by streams of electrically charged atomic particles from the sun.

 

The phenomenon, known as solar flare, occurred at around 10:40 a.m. Beijing Time, according to the China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation.

 

The X3-class flare caused widespread interruption of shortwave communications and broadcasts and seriously affected electronic survey systems for a lengthy period.

 

According to the institute its radio wave observation stations in Guangzhou, Hainan and Chongqing experienced interruption of shortwave detection signals from 10:20 a.m. through 11:15 a.m. Things returned to normal at 1:30 p.m.

 

Two X-class solar flares occurred on December 5 and 7 accompanied by several of the M-class.  An institute researcher said the chances of major solar flares were currently low. "Continuous solar flares like those that have occurred in recent days are rather rare but we should not be caught unprepared for them," said the researcher.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 14, 2006)