Last major update issued on October 31, 2008 at 04:20 UTC.
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The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on October 30. Solar wind speed ranged between 587 and 720 km/s under the influence of a high speed stream from CH345.
Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 66.8. The planetary A index was 11 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 11.1). Three hour interval K indices: 32232432 (planetary), 33333322 (Boulder).
The background x-ray flux is below the class A1 level.
At midnight there was 1 spotted region on the visible solar disk. The solar flare activity level was very low.
New region 11007 emerged in the northeast quadrant on October 30.
October 28-30: No partially or fully Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO imagery.
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 recurrent coronal hole in the southern hemisphere (CH345) was in an Earth facing position on October 25-28. A coronal hole in the northern hemisphere rotated across the central meridian on October 28-29 and was probably located too far to the north to become geoeffective.
Processed SOHO/EIT 195 image at 23:48 UTC on October 30. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes
Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along paths north of due west over high and upper middle latitudes is poor. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is fair.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on October 31 due to effects from CH345. Mostly quiet conditions are likely November 1-4.
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.
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11007 | 2008.10.30 | 3 | 6 | N35E15 | 0020 | BXO | classification was CRO at midnight |
Total spot count: | 3 | 6 | |||||
SSN: | 13 | 16 |
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) |
2007.07 | 71.6 | 9.7 | 6.9 (-0.7) |
2007.08 | 69.1 | 6.0 | 6.0 (-0.9) |
2007.09 | 67.1 | 2.4 | 5.9 (-0.1) |
2007.10 | 67.4 | 0.9 | 6.0 (+0.1) |
2007.11 | 69.6 | 1.7 | 5.7 (-0.3) |
2007.12 | 78.5 | 10.1 | 4.9 (-0.8) |
2008.01 | 74.3 | 3.4 | 4.2 (-0.7) |
2008.02 | 71.1 | 2.1 | 3.5 (-0.7) |
2008.03 | 72.9 | 9.3 | 3.3 (-0.2) |
2008.04 | 70.2 | 2.9 | (3.3 predicted, +0.0) |
2008.05 | 68.4 | 2.9 | (3.4 predicted, +0.1) |
2008.06 | 65.8 | 3.1 | (3.4 predicted, +0.0) |
2008.07 | 65.7 | 0.5 | (3.7 predicted, +0.3) |
2008.08 | 66.5 | 0.5 | (5.1 predicted, +0.7) |
2008.09 | 67.1 | 1.1 | (6.2 predicted, +1.1) |
2008.10 | 68.3 (1) | 4.7 (2) | (7.9 predicted, +1.7) |
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 (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.
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