Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on June 28, 2013 at 04:40 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 23-24 (last update June 1, 2013)] [Cycle 24 progress (last update June 1, 2013) ]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22, 23 and 24 (last update June 1, 2013)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 24 (last update June 1, 2013)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (last update April 5, 2007)]
[Archived reports since January 2003 (last update June 6, 2013)]

[POES auroral activity level since October 2009 - updated January 26, 2013]
[Solar polar fields vs solar cycles - updated May 12, 2013]
[Presentation 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013 (pdf)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled on June 27. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 348 and 464 km/s. A weak solar wind shock was observed at ACE near 13:30 UTC.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 99.5 (decreasing 2.3 over the last solar rotation). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 6 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 6.5). Three hour interval K indices: 10013223 (planetary), 11113323 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux was at the class B2 level.

At midnight UTC the visible solar disk had 11 spotted active regions (in 2K resolution SDO images).

Region 11775 [S25W82] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 11777 [S18W22] was quiet and stable. A long duration C4.4 event peaking 01:59 UTC on June 28 was associated with a partial halo CME.
Region 11778 [S18E13] decayed in the leading spot section while growth was observed in the trailing spots.
Region 11779 [N15E29] was quiet and stable.
Region 11780 [S12W03] was quiet and stable.

Spotted regions not numbered by SWPC:
S2500 [N17W46] was quiet and stable.
New region S2509 [S14E65] emerged with penumbra spots.
New region S2510 [S11E43] emerged with a penumbra spot.
New region S2511 [N21E09] emerged with a few spots.
New region S2512 [S39W06] emerged with a penumbra spot at a high latitude.
New region S2513 [S13W46] emerged with penumbra spots.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

June 25-27: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO and STEREO imagery.
June 28: A partial halo CME was observed early in the day after and was associated with a long duration C4 event in AR 11777.

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

A recurrent trans equatorial coronal hole (CH574] was in an Earth facing position on June 25-26.

Coronal hole map

Propagation

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.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to minor storm on June 28-29, mostly due to effects from CH574. Quiet to unsettled conditions are likely on June 30. Weak effects from the June 28 CME are possible on June 30 and July 1.

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 2K resolution) 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 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
11775 2013.06.14
2013.06.15
1 1 1 S25W82 0110 HSX HSX  
S2490 2013.06.19       S16W40           plage
11777 2013.06.19
2013.06.20
1 7 1 S16W23 0130 HSX CSO area: 0170
11778 2013.06.22 17 38 15 S17E11 0080 ESO DRI  
S2498 2013.06.22       N15E21            
S2500 2013.06.23   3   N17W46 0004   AXX  
S2502 2013.06.24       S06E13           plage
11779 2013.06.24
2013.06.25
1 4 1 N15E27 0010 AXX AXX  
S2504 2013.06.24       N17W05           plage
S2505 2013.06.25       N14W23         plage
11780 2013.06.25
2013.06.26
1 2 1 S08W04 0010 AXX HRX location: S12W03
S2508 2013.06.26       N03E21         plage
S2509 2013.06.27   4 2 S14E65 0025   BXO    
S2510 2013.06.27   2   S11E43 0003   AXX    
S2511 2013.06.27   4 2 N21E09 0020   CRO    
S2512 2013.06.27   1   S39W06 0002   AXX    
S2513 2013.06.27   2   S13W46 0005   BXO    
Total spot count: 21 68 23  
Sunspot number: 71 178 93  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 36 87 42  (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): 43 62 51 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)
2011.11 153.5 (cycle peak) 96.7 (cycle peak) 61.1 (+1.2) 5.55
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 64.6 (-2.2) 10.10
2012.05 121.5 69.0 61.7 (-2.9) 7.06
2012.06 119.6 64.5 58.9 (-2.8) 10.08
2012.07 133.9 66.5 57.7 (-1.2) 13.90
2012.08 115.4 63.0 58.1 (+0.4) 7.96
2012.09 122.9 61.4 58.1 (-0.0) 8.07
2012.10 123.3 53.3 58.6 (+0.5) 9.97
2012.11 121.3 61.8 59.7 (+1.1) 7.08
2012.12 108.6 40.8 (59.5 projected, -0.2) 3.44
2013.01 127.1 62.9 (59.1 projected, -0.4) 4.69
2013.02 104.3 38.0 (59.3 projected, +0.2) 6.11
2013.03 111.3 57.9 (58.9 projected, -0.4) 10.56
2013.04 124.8 72.4 (58.6 projected, -0.3) 5.40
2013.05 131.4 78.7 (58.7 projected, +0.1) 9.73
2013.06 111.1 (1) 72.0 (2A) / 80.0 (2B) / 50.0 (2C) (59.0 projected, +0.3) (10.57)

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.