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Record 19-Day Solar Radio Burst Traced to Helmet Streamer

A peer‑reviewed study ties the marathon signal to a stable coronal structure energized by successive eruptions, offering a new marker for space‑weather forecasting.

Overview

  • The Type IV radio burst persisted from August 21 to September 9, 2025, lasting 19 days and breaking the prior five‑day record.
  • Researchers maintained near‑continuous coverage by stitching data from Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe, Wind, and STEREO‑A as the Sun rotated.
  • A new STEREO‑A–based tracking method let the team pinpoint the source to a large magnetic arc called a helmet streamer in the solar corona.
  • Analysis suggests three coronal mass ejections from the same region repeatedly refilled trapped electrons, which kept the radio emission going.
  • The findings, published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, flag long‑duration radio bursts as cues of prolonged magnetic unrest that can help operators prepare for particle storms that threaten satellites and astronauts.