Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Last update issued on August 25, 2003 at 01:20 UTC. 

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 21-23 (last update August 18, 2003)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update August 18, 2003)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 2, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update August 18, 2003)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2003 (last update July 23, 2003)]
[Archived reports (last update August 1, 2003)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was unsettled to minor storm on August 24. Solar wind speed ranged between 550 and 766 km/sec under the influence of a decaying high speed stream from coronal hole CH52.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 116.4. The planetary A index was 24 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 24.5).
Three hour interval K indices: 34554343 (planetary), 34445433 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux is at the class B2-B3 level.

At midnight there were 6 spotted regions on the visible disk. Solar flare activity was low with only 1 C class event recorded during the day.

Region 10436 decayed in the leading spot section and was otherwise mostly unchanged. Flare: C1.2/1F at 04:17 UTC.
Region 10439 developed slowly and was quiet.
Region 10440 decayed fairly quickly. At the current rate of decay this region will become spotless within 2 days.
Region 10441 developed slowly and quietly.
Region 10442 was quiet and stable.

Spotted regions not numbered by SEC/NOAA:
[S237] A new region emerged in the northwest quadrant on August 24. Location at midnight: N24W12.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

August 22-24: No potentially geoeffective CMEs observed.

Coronal holes

Coronal hole history (since late October 2002)
Compare today's report with the situation one solar rotation ago: 28 days ago 27 days ago 26 days ago

A large coronal hole (CH52) in the northern hemisphere was in a geoeffective position on August 17-21. A coronal hole (CH53) in the southern hemisphere may rotate into a geoeffective position on August 25.

Processed GOES SXI coronal structure image at 20:48 UTC on August 24. Base SXI image courtesy of NOAA/SEC. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be unsettled to active on August 25 and quiet to unsettled on August 26-27.

Long distance low frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along east-west paths over high and upper middle latitudes is very poor to useless. Propagation along north-south paths is fair to poor. [Trans Atlantic propagation conditions are currently monitored every night on 1470 kHz. Dominant station tonight: Radio Cristal del Uruguay]

Coronal holes (1) Coronal mass ejections (2) M and X class flares (3)
Coronal hole indicator CME indicator M and X class flare indicator

1) Effects from a coronal hole could reach Earth within the next 5 days.
2) Material from a CME is likely to impact Earth within 96 hours.
3) There is a possibility of either M or X class flares within the next 48 hours.

Green: 0-20% probability, Yellow: 20-60% probability, Red: 60-100% probability.

Active solar regions (Recent map)

Compare to the previous day's image.

Data for all numbered solar regions according to the Solar Region Summary provided by NOAA/SEC. Comments are my own, as is the STAR spot count (spots observed at or inside a few hours before midnight) and data for regions not numbered by SEC or where SEC has observed no spots.

Solar region Date numbered SEC
spot
count
STAR
spot
count
Location at midnight Area Classification Comment
10432 2003.08.13     S03W64     plage
10436 2003.08.17 28 30 N08W26 0210 EAC classification was EAI
at midnight
10438 2003.08.21     S31W74     plage
10439 2003.08.21 3 2 N07W64 0040 CSO  
10440 2003.08.21 9 8 S08W33 0060 DSO  
10441 2003.08.21 24 27 N12E06 0100 DAO classification was DAI
and area 0130
at midnight
10442 2003.08.22 6 7 S12E43 0130 DAO  
10443 2003.08.22     N15W17     plage
10444 2003.08.23 2   N09E44 0010 AXX spotless
S230 emerged on
2003.08.17
    S03W86     plage
S237 emerged on
2003.08.24
  2 N24W12 0020 HSX  
Total spot count: 72 76
SSN: 132 136

Monthly solar cycle data

Month Average solar
flux at Earth
International sunspot number Smoothed sunspot number
2000.04 184.2 125.5 120.8
cycle 23 sunspot max.
2000.07 202.3 170.1 119.8
2001.12 235.1 132.2 114.6 (-0.9)
2002.07 173.5 99.6 102.7 (-3.5)
2002.08 183.6 116.4 98.7 (-4.0)
2002.09 175.8 109.6 94.6 (-4.1)
2002.10 167.0 97.5 90.5 (-4.1)
2002.11 168.7 95.5 85.2 (-5.3)
2002.12 157.2 80.8 82.0 (-3.2)
2003.01 144.0 79.7 81.0 (-1.0)
2003.02 124.5 46.0 (77.2 predicted, -3.8)
2003.03 131.4 61.1 (71.5 predicted, -5.7)
2003.04 126.4 60.0 (66.6 predicted, -4.9)
2003.05 115.7 55.2 (61.7 predicted, -4.9)
2003.06 129.3 77.4 (57.7 predicted, -4.0)
2003.07 127.7 85.0 (54.1 predicted, -3.6)
2003.08 123.5 (1) 85.7 (2) (52.3 predicted, -1.8)

1) Running average based on the daily 20:00 UTC observed solar flux value at 2800 MHz.
2) Unofficial, accumulated value based on the Boulder (NOAA/SEC) sunspot number. The official international sunspot number is typically 30-50% less.

This report has been prepared by Jan Alvestad. It is based partly on my own observations and analysis, and partly on data from sources noted in solar links. All time references are to the UTC day. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.


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