ELECTRONS OR PROTONS: WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF FOREST FIRES IN WESTERN EUROPE ON JUNE 18, 2017?

Forest fires in Portugal (June 17–24, 2017) destroyed 64 lives and caused considerable material damage. The coronal hole CH807 and the energy region S5710 were in the geoeffective position on the Sun immediately before the outbreak of fires. In the period that preceded it, as well as at the time of...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Milan Radovanović, João Fernando Pereira Gomes, Anatoly A. Yamashkin, Milan Milenković, Milan Stevančević
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Geographical Institute "Jovan Cvijić" SASA 2017-08-01
Series:Zbornik Radova: Geografski institut "Jovan Cvijić"
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ojs.gi.sanu.ac.rs/index.php/zbornik/article/view/38
Description
Summary:Forest fires in Portugal (June 17–24, 2017) destroyed 64 lives and caused considerable material damage. The coronal hole CH807 and the energy region S5710 were in the geoeffective position on the Sun immediately before the outbreak of fires. In the period that preceded it, as well as at the time of the fires, increased values of the solar wind (SW) parameters (temperature, speed and density of particles) were recorded. In addition, a geomagnetic disorder was recorded. The shape and size of the burning areas, as well as the low air pressure over Portugal indicate the possibility of the effect of positively charged particles that came from the area south, i.e. southwest of Portugal. Nevertheless, it is a specific case that would have to be investigated in more detail.
ISSN:0350-7599
1821-2808