Sun Physically Capable of Producing Superflare, Study Finds

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research found a link between active region area and flare energy: the 1947 'Great Sunspot' could theoretically produce a flare over 10^34 erg, matching a superflare.

• Flare energy grows exponentially with flare ribbon area
• 1859 Carrington Event estimated at ~10^33 erg
• 1947 sunspot was twice as large and exceeded superflare threshold
• Such events occur roughly once per century