Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Last major update issued on March 8, 2006 at 04:45 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 21-23 (last update March 2, 2006)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update March 2, 2006)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 2, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update March 2, 2006)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2005 (last update March 3, 2006)]
[Archived reports (last update March 2, 2006)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on March 7. Solar wind speed ranged between 349 and 456 (all day average 403) km/sec.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 74.4. The planetary A index was 12 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 11.6).
Three hour interval K indices: 44332101 (planetary), 44331211 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux is below the class A1 level.

At midnight the visible solar disk was spotless. The solar flare activity level was very low. No C class events were recorded during the day. A long duration B2 event during the afternoon was associated with a filament eruption in region 10856.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

March 5-7: No obviously fully or partly Earth directed CMEs were observed. The filament eruption in region 10856 on March 7 may have been associated with a small CME with potentially Earth directed extensions.

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 trans equatorial coronal hole (CH215) appears to have become larger over the last solar rotation and was in an Earth facing position on March 5-7.

Processed SOHO/EIT 284 image at 01:20 UTC on February 28. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to active on March 8-11 due to effects from CH215.

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. When the high speed stream has arrived the color changes to green.
2) Effects from a CME are likely to be observed at 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 to fair. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor. Trans Atlantic propagation conditions are normally monitored every night on 1470 kHz. Dominant stations tonight:  WWNN Pompano Beach FL and WLAM Lewiston ME, both with weak signals. No strong signals were observed, however, the band was unusually quiet and many weak signals could be heard. Propagation was best towards the east coast of North America, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

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
10856 2006.02.27 2   S08W38 0010 AXX spotless
10857 2006.03.05 3   N05E14 0020 AXX spotless
S629 2006.03.06     S15E03     plage
Total spot count: 5 0  
SSN: 25 0  

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)
2005.01 102.2 31.3 34.6 (-0.6)
2005.02 97.2 29.2 33.9 (-0.7)
2005.03 89.9 24.5 33.5 (-0.4)
2005.04 86.0 24.2 31.6 (-1.9)
2005.05 99.3 42.7 28.9 (-2.7)
2005.06 93.7 39.3 28.8 (-0.1)
2005.07 96.4 40.1 29.1 (+0.3)
2005.08 90.5 36.4 27.4 (-1.7)
2005.09 91.1 21.9 (25.6 predicted, -1.8)
2005.10 77.0 8.5 (23.8 predicted, -1.8)
2005.11 86.3 18.0 (21.4 predicted, -2.4)
2005.12 90.7 41.2 (18.5 predicted, -2.9)
2006.01 83.4 15.4 (15.4 predicted, -3.1)
2006.02 76.5 4.7 (12.3 predicted, -3.1)
2006.03 75.0 (1) 3.0 (2) (10.1 predicted, -2.2)

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% lower.

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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