Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on October 26, 2012 at 03:25 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 21-24 (last update October 3, 2012)] [Cycle 24 progress (last update October 1, 2012) ]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22, 23 and 24 (last update October 3, 2012)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 24 (last update October 3, 2012)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (last update April 5, 2007)]
[Archived reports since January 2003 (last update October 1, 2012)]

[POES auroral activity level since October 2009 - updated October 7, 2012]
[Solar polar fields vs solar cycles - updated June 27, 2011]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet on October 25. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 311 and 374 km/s.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 130.0 (decreasing 7.8 over the last solar rotation). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 4 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 3.8). Three hour interval K indices: 22011002 (planetary), 11212211 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux was at the class B3 level.

At midnight UTC the visible solar disk had 8 spotted active regions (in 2K resolution SDO images).

Region 11596 [N08W23] decayed slowly and quietly with the leader spot splitting into two penumbrae.
Region 11598 [S12E17] is undergoing an interesting change with the major trailing penumbral area merging with the leader penumbra. While the magnetic delta structure is currently weak, it could become much stronger if opposite polarity umbrae separation decrease. M flares are possible.
Region 11599 [S11E57] was quiet and stable.

Spotted regions not numbered by NOAA/SWPC:
S2009 [N08W00] developed slowly and quietly.
New region S2010 [S12E62] emerged with a single spot.
New region S2011 [S24E22] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S2012 [S09W17] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S2013 [S27W47] emerged with a few spots.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

October 24-25: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO and STEREO imagery.
October 23: A CME was observed off the east limb in STEREO-A imagery after the filament eruption near AR 11593. This CME was at best faint in STEREO-B imagery.

Coronal holes

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

While a northern hemisphere coronal hole rotated across the central meridian on October 24, it was likely too far to the north to become geoeffective.

Coronal hole map

The above coronal hole map is based on a method where coronal holes are detected automatically. While the method may need some fine tuning, it has significant advantages over detecting coronal holes manually. The main improvement is the ability to detect coronal holes at and just beyond the solar limbs. Early results using this method for SDO images over a span of several weeks indicate a good match between coronal holes observed over the visible disk and their extent and position at the east and west limbs. Note that the polar coronal holes are easily detected using this method, the extent and intensity of both CHs are consistent with other data sources.

Propagation

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

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet on October 26-29.

Coronal holes (1) Coronal mass ejection (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

Click on image for higher resolution image) Compare to the previous day's image. 0.5k image

When available the active region map has a coronal hole polarity overlay where red (pink) is negative and blue (blue-green) is positive.

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
detected
Spot count Location at midnight Area Classification SDO / HMI 4K continuum
image with magnetic polarity overlay
Comment
SWPC STAR SDO SWPC STAR Current Previous
2K 1K
11594 2012.10.14
2012.10.15
      S27W73           plage
11593 2012.10.15       N15W63         plage
11596 2012.10.17
2012.10.18
10 22 10 N07W21 0230 EAO DAO

area: 0350

S2001 2012.10.19       S19W51         plage
11598 2012.10.20 17 34 17 S12E18 0370 DKO DKC beta-gamma-delta

area: 0450

S2004 2012.10.21       N20W32           plage
S2005 2012.10.21       N08W29         plage
11599 2012.10.22
2012.10.23
1 1 1 S10E43 0100 HSX HSX area: 0180
S2007 2012.10.22       S35W04           plage
S2008 2012.10.22       N04W44           plage
S2009 2012.10.24   3 1 N08W00 0010   HRX  
S2010 2012.10.25   1 1 S12E62 0000   AXX    
S2011 2012.10.25   2   S24E22 0000   AXX    
S2012 2012.10.25   2   S09W17 0000   BXO    
S2013 2012.10.25   4 1 S27W47 0010   BXO    
Total spot count: 28 69 31  
Sunspot number: 58 149 91  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 48 92 54  (Sum of total spot count + classification weighting for each AR. Classification weighting: X=0, R=3, A/S=5, H/K=10)
Relative sunspot number (Wolf number): 35 52 50 k * (sunspot number). k = 0.6 for SWPC, k = 0.35 for STAR SDO 2K, k = 0.55 for STAR SDO 1K

Monthly solar cycle data

Month Average measured solar flux International sunspot number (SIDC) Smoothed sunspot number Average ap
(3)
2011.08 101.7 50.6 59.0 (+1.8) 7.26
2011.09 133.8 78.0 59.5 (+0.5) 12.27
2011.10 137.3 88.0 59.9 (+0.4) 8.28
2011.11 153.5 96.7 61.1 (+1.2) 5.55
2011.12 141.3 73.0 63.4 (+2.3) 3.78
2012.01 132.5 58.3 65.5 (+2.1) 7.15
2012.02 106.5 32.9 66.9 (+1.4)
possible cycle 24 max
8.81
2012.03 114.7 64.3 66.8 (-0.1) 16.08
2012.04 113.0 55.2 (64.7 projected, -2.1) 10.10
2012.05 121.5 69.0 (61.8 projected, -2.9) 7.06
2012.06 119.6 64.5 (59.9 projected, -1.9) 10.08
2012.07 133.9 66.5 (60.0 projected, +0.1) 13.90
2012.08 115.4 63.1 (62.0 projected, +2.0) 7.96
2012.09 122.9 61.5 (63.6 projected, +1.6) 8.07
2012.10 125.4 (1) 62.6 (2A) / 77.6 (2B) / 56.7 (2C) (63.5 projected, -0.1) (11.96)

1) Running average based on the daily 20:00 UTC observed solar flux value at 2800 MHz.
2A) Current impact on the monthly sunspot number based on the Boulder (NOAA/SWPC) sunspot number (accumulated daily sunspots / month days). The official SIDC international sunspot number is typically 30-50% lower. 2B) Boulder SN current month average to date. 2C) STAR SDO 1K Wolf number 30 day average.
3) Running average based on the quicklook and definitive Potsdam WDC ap indices. Values in red are based on the definitive international Potsdam WDC ap indices.

This report has been prepared by Jan Alvestad. It is based on analysis of data from whatever sources are available at the time the report is prepared. All time references are to the UTC day. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

SDO images are courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.