Last update issued on March 23, 2003 at 03:40 UTC.
[Solar and geomagnetic data
- last 4 weeks (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron
fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 21-23 (last
update March 3, 2003)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of
cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update March 3, 2003)]
[Graphical comparison of
cycles 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update March 3, 2003)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic
data charts 1954-2002 (last update January 27, 2003)]
[Archived reports (last update March 17, 2003)]
The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on March 22. Solar wind speed ranged between 559 and 714 km/sec under the influence of a high speed coronal hole stream.
Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 89.0 (this is the lowest recorded solar flux level at 20h UTC since May 22,
1998). The planetary A
index was 16 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 16.0).
Three hour interval K indices: 34443323 (planetary), 34333223 (Boulder).
The background x-ray flux is at the class B1 level.
At midnight there were 2 spotted regions on the visible disk. Solar flare activity was low. A total of 3 C class events was recorded during the day, all from region 10314 behind the southwest limb: C2.3 at 00:55, C1.0 at 04:42 and C1.3 at 06:58 UTC.
Region 10316 decayed slowly and quietly.
New region 10318 rotated into view at the southeast limb.
March 20-22: No obviously geoeffective CMEs observed.
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 well placed, developing and recurrent coronal hole (CH26) mainly in the northern hemisphere will rotate into a geoeffective position on March 22-23. A coronal hole (CH27) in the southern hemisphere will rotate into a geoeffective position on March 24-25.
Processed SOHO EIT 284 image at 01:06 UTC on March 23. Any black areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to active on March 23-24 due to a high speed stream, then unsettled to minor storm from late on March 24 until March 26 due to a high speed stream from coronal hole CH26. Quiet to active is likely on March 27-29 due to another high speed stream, this time from CH27. Long distance medium wave (AM) band propagation along east-west paths over high and upper middle latitudes is very poor, propagation along north-south paths is fair. [Trans Atlantic propagation conditions are currently monitored every night on 1470 kHz. Dominant station tonight: Radio Vibración (Venezuela)]
Coronal holes (1) | Coronal mass ejections (2) | M and X class flares (3) |
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.
Compare to the previous day's image.
Data for all numbered solar regions according to the Solar Region Summary provided by SEC/NOAA. 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10316 | 2003.03.18 | 3 | 2 | S11E11 | 0010 | CSO |
classification was AXX at midnight, only negative polarity spots observed |
10317 | 2003.03.20 | 3 | N04W25 | 0020 | BXO |
spotless all day in all available images |
|
10318 | 2003.03.22 | 4 | 4 | S16E74 | 0040 | CAO | |
S125 | emerged on 2003.03.20 |
N12W79 | plage | ||||
Total spot count: | 10 | 6 | |||||
SSN: | 40 | 26 |
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) |
2002.02 | 205.0 | 107.4 | 114.6 (+1.2) |
2002.03 | 179.5 | 98.4 | 113.3 (-1.3) |
2002.04 | 189.8 | 120.7 | 110.5 (-2.9) |
2002.05 | 178.4 | 120.8 | 108.8 (-1.7) |
2002.06 | 148.7 | 88.3 | 106.2 (-2.6) |
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 | (94.7 predicted, -4.0) |
2002.10 | 167.0 | 97.5 | (91.2 predicted, -3.5) |
2002.11 | 168.7 | 95.0 | (86.0 predicted, -5.2) |
2002.12 | 157.2 | 81.6 | (81.6 predicted, -4.4) |
2003.01 | 144.0 | 79.5 | (78.6 predicted, -3.0) |
2003.02 | 124.5 | 46.2 | (73.6 predicted, -5.0) |
2003.03 | 131.8 (1) | 82.1 (2) | (67.9 predicted, -5.7) |
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 (SEC/NOAA) sunspot number. The official
international sunspot number is typically 25-45% less.
This report has been prepared by Jan Alvestad. It is based partly on my own observations and interpretations, 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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