And when the solar wind is stronger, it is better at shielding the earth from high-energy charged particles from outer space known as cosmic rays.

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These CMEs can be even more disruptive because they are capable of sending billions of tonnes of charged gas and other particles into space.

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Solar storms are violent eruptions on the sun that send a wave of charged particles, called plasma, into space at the speed of more than one million miles per hour.

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The radiation the researchers used in their testing is composed of highly charged iron particles, which are relatively common in space.

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