Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Last major update issued on June 9, 2004 at 03:10 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 21-23 (last update June 2, 2004)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update June 2, 2004)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 2, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update June 2, 2004)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2004 (last update April 28, 2004)]
[Archived reports (last update June 7, 2004)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled on June 8. Solar wind speed ranged between 375 and 450 km/sec.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 86.0. The planetary A index was 9 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 9.5).
Three hour interval K indices: 32132321 (planetary), 32132232 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux is at the class A4 level.

At midnight there were 3 spotted regions on the visible disk. The solar flare activity level was very low. No C class events were recorded during the day.

Region 10627 decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 10628 decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 10629 was mostly unchanged and quiet.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

June 6 and 8: No fully or partly Earth directed CMEs observed.
June 7: At least a partial halo CME was associated with a long duration C2 event in region 10621 early in the day. This CME could reach Earth on June 10.

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 recurrent coronal hole (CH101) in the southern hemisphere will likely rotate into a geoeffective position on June 13.

Processed SOHO/EIT 284 image at 00:11 UTC on June 9. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on June 9-12 with the possibility of a few active intervals on June 10 if the CME noted above reaches Earth..

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. When the high speed stream has arrived the color changes to green.
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.

Propagation

Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along east-west paths over high and upper middle latitudes is poor and improving. Propagation along long distance north-south paths is fair. Trans Atlantic propagation conditions are monitored every night on 1470 kHz. Dominant stations tonight: Radio Vibración (Venezuela) and what was probably CPN Radio (Perú). It was very difficult to listen due to an intense thunderstorm over the southern North Sea. On 1510 kHz WWZN Boston had a fair signal. Several other US stations were noted with weak signals including 1440 WJAE Portland.

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. SEC active region numbers in the table below and in the active region map above are the historic SEC/USAF numbers.

Active region Date numbered SEC
spot
count
STAR
spot
count
Location at midnight Area Classification Comment
10621 2004.05.29 2   S14W70 0020 AXX spotless
10622 2004.05.30     S09W45     plage
10624 2004.06.01     S08W31     plage
10626 2004.06.05     N05W45     plage
10627 2004.06.05 10 4 S08W09 0060 DAO area was 0040
at midnight
10628 2004.06.07 8 2 S09E00 0030 CAO classification was BXO
at midnight, area 0010
10629 2004.06.07 1 2 S04E09 0010 AXX  
10630 2004.06.07 1   N13E46 0010 AXX spotless
S409 emerged on
2004.05.29
    S01W83     plage
S414 emerged on
2004.06.07
    S03E01     plage
Total spot count: 22 8
SSN: 72 38

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)
2003.05 115.7 55.2 67.6 (-2.5)
2003.06 129.3 77.4 65.0 (-2.6)
2003.07 127.7 83.3 61.8 (-3.2)
2003.08 122.1 72.7 60.0 (-1.8)
2003.09 112.2 48.7 59.5 (-0.5)
2003.10 151.7 65.5 58.1 (-1.4)
2003.11 140.8 67.3 56.7 (-1.4)
2003.12 114.9 46.5 (54.4 predicted, -2.3)
2004.01 114.1 37.2 (50.5 predicted, -3.9)
2004.02 107.0 46.0 (46.2 predicted, -4.3)
2004.03 112.0 48.9 (43.5 predicted, -2.7)
2004.04 101.2 39.3 (41.4 predicted, -2.1)
2004.05 99.8 41.5 (38.2 predicted, -3.2)
2004.06 88.4 (1) 18.1 (2) (35.3 predicted, -2.9)

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 some of these solar data sources. All time references are to the UTC day. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.


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