A new Solar Cycle 24 has started and may produce solar flares that can disrupt satellite communications. The cycle reverses the north and south poles of the sun resulting in changes in the magnetic fields.

The changes in sunspots results in solar cycle. This is 24th cycle in the last 250 years.

Solar physicist David Hathaway of the Marshall Space Flight Center said in a statement, “New solar cycles always begin with a high-latitude, reversed polarity sunspot.”

During the cycle, the sun’s activity would be low but will intensify in 2011-12 when the solar flares and magnetic storms could occur and can blackout the satellite communication, disrupt air traffic, GPS systems and power grids.

NASA’s solar physicists said that this solar cycle would be 30 to 50 percent stronger than the previous one. An average solar cycle is for 11 years, but this one could range from 9 to 14 years.

The old cycle spots appear near the sun’s equator. The new solar cycle seems higher, around 25 to 30 degrees latitude. Scientists said the emergence of magnetically reversed high altitude sunspot lead to beginning of next 11-year solar cycle.

Solar scientists said, “Solar physicists have been waiting for the appearance of a reversed-polarity sunspot to signal the start of the next solar cycle and the wait is over.”

Solar magnetic activity drives all the solar phenomena including space weather. Samuel Heinrich Schwabe discovered the solar cycle in 1843.

Meanwhile, to reduce the affect of solar flares, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) officials said, “In case of increase of Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), scientists may contemplate shutting non-essential circuits and gadgets like cameras on the satellite to protect them.”