The fall of 2003 saw the largest solar flare events ever recorded from spacecraft (see also Halloween 2003 Solar Storms). Impact of this storm on the Earth and its environment will be studied for years to come.Another consequence of the storm was the Earth's radiation belts changed dramatically. The region close to the Earth, normally free of high-energy particles, has been named the "Safe Zone" since satellites and astronauts are usually safe from hazardous radiation. However, the Halloween storms changed the configuration of the radiation belts so dramatically that this "Safe Zone" disappeared. This is a particularly serious issue for astronauts and even satellites in Earth orbit.
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