Sunspot AR3738 erupted on July 14th (0235 UT), producing an X1.2-class solar flare. So far, no CMEs have been detected in available coronagraph imagery. The explosion might not have lasted long enough to lift a CME out of the sun’s atmosphere. The region became very active the past 24 hours with multiple M-Flares detected leading up to this X-Flare event.

More explosions are in the offing. AR3738 has a ‘beta-gamma-delta’ magnetic field’ that harbors energy for additional X-class solar flares.

Radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth’s atmosphere, causing a shortwave radio blackout over Australia, southeast Asia and Japan. Mariners and ham radio operators in the area may have noticed a 30-minute loss of signal at all frequencies below 25 MHz.