life in general: (part 2) japanquake11mar11: solar flares' impact on earth & a reason behind japan's massive quake

I have no doubt in my mind that today's massive earthquake in Japan and the quake that hit New Zealand a few days back were caused, in part, due to renewed flaring activity of our Sun in the last one month. To know what is a solar flare click here.

I get daily emails about solar flares and solar wind from Belgium-based Solar Influences Data Center. When there is something intense happening with regard to solar activity I get a separate alert from them by email.

I share below 4 alert emails I got from SIDC in the last 3 days (starting from the latest to the earliest). They are self-explanatory as to the intensity of the solar activity.

1)

From: Solar Influences Data analysis Center
Date: 11 March 2011 03:42
Subject: PRESTO ALERT
To: RegisteredUsers@sidc.be

:Issued: 2011 Mar 10 2210 UTC
:Product: documentation at http://www.sidc.be/products/presto
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
# FAST WARNING 'PRESTO' MESSAGE  from the SIDC (RWC-Belgium)         #
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
A second shock in the solar wind parameters was observed around 17h30
UT this evening. Kp reached a value of 4 during the past 3h-period.
Unsettled to active periods are possible in the coming hours.
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Solar Influences Data analysis Center - RWC Belgium                #
# Royal Observatory of Belgium                                       #
# Fax : 32 (0) 2 373 0 224                                           #
# Tel.: 32 (0) 2 373 0 491                                           #
#                                                                    #
# For more information, see http://www.sidc.be.  Please do not reply #
 

2)

From: Solar Influences Data analysis Center
Date: 10 March 2011 14:46
Subject: PRESTO ALERT
To: RegisteredUsers@sidc.be


:Issued: 2011 Mar 10 0915 UTC
:Product: documentation at http://www.sidc.be/products/presto
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
# FAST WARNING 'PRESTO' MESSAGE  from the SIDC (RWC-Belgium)         #
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
A shock was observed in the solar wind speed as observed by the ACE
spacecraft around 6h10 UT this morning. This indicated the arrival of
the CME that left the Sun around 20h12 on March 7. As BZ is negative
with a value of -10, active conditions are expected in the coming hours.

3)

From: Solar Influences Data analysis Center
Date: 10 March 2011 12:18
Subject: PRESTO ALERT
To: RegisteredUsers@sidc.be


:Issued: 2011 Mar 10 0646 UTC
:Product: documentation at http://www.sidc.be/products/presto
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
# FAST WARNING 'PRESTO' MESSAGE  from the SIDC (RWC-Belgium)         #
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
An X1.5 flare occurred yesterday evening at 23h16 in NOAA AR 11166,
which is on the center of the solar disk. No coronographic data from
LASCO is available yet, but SDO/AIA images suggest a CME associated to
this event.

4)

From: Solar Influences Data analysis Center
Date: 8 March 2011 14:52
Subject: PRESTO ALERT
To: RegisteredUsers@sidc.be
:Issued: 2011 Mar 08 0920 UTC
:Product: documentation at http://www.sidc.be/products/presto
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
# FAST WARNING 'PRESTO' MESSAGE  from the SIDC (RWC-Belgium)         #
#--------------------------------------------------------------------#
A proton event is ongoing. It originates from a long duration flare
M3.7 that occurred yesterday evening in NOAA AR 11164 around 20h01. The
CME associated with this event was seen in SOHO/LASCO and STEREO-B/COR2.
It is not directed straight towards Earth, but we can expect a glancing
blow to hit Earth around March 10th. With three beta-gamma-delta regions
on the solar disk at the moment, we can expect more flaring activity in
the coming hours.