Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Last major update issued on March 24, 2008 at 03:40 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)
[Solar cycles 21-23 (last update October 4, 2007)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update October 4, 2007)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 2, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update October 4, 2007)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (last update April 5, 2007)]
[Archived reports (last update January 10, 2008)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled on March 23. Solar wind speed ranged between 395 and 508 km/s.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 72.0. The planetary A index was 8 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 8.5). Three hour interval K indices: 33321111 (planetary), 33322211 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux is at the class A5 level.

At midnight there were 2 spotted regions on the visible solar disk. The solar flare activity level was very low. No C class events were recorded during the day.

New region 10987 emerged in the southeast quadrant on March 23. There's a chance of a C class flare from this region.

Spotted regions not numbered by NOAA/SWPC:
[S720] This region near the southeast limb on March 23. Location at midnight: S07E71

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

March 21-23: No partially or fully Earth directed CMEs were observed.

Coronal holes

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

A coronal hole (CH317) in the northern hemisphere was in an Earth facing position on March 22-23. A recurrent trans equatorial coronal hole (CH318) will be Earth facing on March 25-28.

Processed SOHO/EIT 195 image at 00:48 UTC on March 24. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.

Propagation

Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along paths north of due west over high and upper middle latitudes is fair. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet on March 24-25. Some unsettled and active intervals are possible on March 26-27 due to effects from CH317 while a high speed stream from CH318 could cause quiet to active conditions on March 28-31.

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.

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/SWPC. 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 SWPC or where SWPC has observed no spots. SWPC active region numbers in the table below and in the active region map above are the historic SWPC/USAF numbers.

Active region Date numbered SWPC
spot
count
STAR
spot
count
Location at midnight Area Classification Comment
10987 2008.03.23 4 5 S08E50 0040 CSO classification was DSO at midnight
S720 2008.03.23   1 S07E71 0010 AXX  
Total spot count: 4 6  
SSN: 14 26  

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)
2007.01 83.3 16.9 12.0 (-0.1)
2007.02 77.7 10.6 11.6 (-0.4)
2007.03 72.2 4.8 10.7 (-0.9)
2007.04 72.4 3.7 9.8 (-0.9)
2007.05 74.4 11.7 8.6 (-1.2)
2007.06 73.7 12.0 7.6 (-1.0)
2007.07 71.6 9.7 7.0 (-0.6)
2007.08 69.1 5.7 6.0 (-1.0)
2007.09 67.1 1.9 (5.7 predicted, -0.3)
2007.10 67.4 0.9 (5.9 predicted, +0.2)
2007.11 69.6 1.7 (6.2 predicted, +0.3)
2007.12 78.5 10.1 (6.4 predicted, +0.2)
2008.01 74.3 3.4 (6.9 predicted, +0.5)
2008.02 71.1 2.1 (7.9 predicted, +1.0)
2008.03 69.6 (1) 2.8 (2) (9.3 predicted, +1.4)

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/SWPC) 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.


[DX-Listeners' Club]