The ESA-NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has proved to be an extraordinary spacecraft for studying solar flares. Data that was retrieved clearly shows that powerful starquakes ripple around the Sun, being caused by the solar flares which explode above its surface.

By discovering how the ripples move around the Sun has allowed scientists to gain a better understanding of the Sun’s interior conditions. For example, scientists discovered a class of oscillations called the 5-minute oscillations with a frequency of around 3 millihertz. After further research, it was discovered that these oscillations were closely connected with solar flares. When the number of solar flares went up, so did the strength of the 5-minute oscillations. Still, researchers have yet to understand the mechanism by which solar flares cause the oscillations.

This correlation also suggests that by looking for similar oscillations within other stars, astronomers could monitor them for flares. But for this, a dedicated spacecraft would be needed.