Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on October 5, 2022 at 06:55 UT.

Charts (* = updated daily) Data and archive
  Solar wind (*) Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (*)
  Electron fluence (*) Archived daily reports and monthly data since 2003.01 (September 1, 2022)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (October 1, 2022) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (October 1, 2022) Noon SDO sunspot count 1K image / 4K (*)
  Solar cycles 1-24 (July 1, 2020) POES auroral activity level [October 2009 - December 2012]
  Comparison of cycles 21-25 (October 1, 2022) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (October 1, 2022) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (August 21, 2022) Cycle 25 spots (final update December 25, 2019)
  Solar cycles 24-25 transition using 365d smoothing Research: Solar Cycle 25 Started on November 17, 2019 with 365 Days Smoothing

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on October 4 under the influence of effects from CH1104. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 496 and 682 km/sec. The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to minor storm levels.

Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 152.4 - increasing 26.3 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 114.63). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 17 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 16.6). Three hour interval K indices: 34422243 (planetary), 23422233 (Boulder), 44442255 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class C1 level (GOES 16).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 9 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 263) and in 8 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 168) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13110 [N18W79] decayed further and became gradually less active. There is a chance of an M class flare while the region is near the northwest limb. C1 flares: C1.5 @ 06:47, C1.6 @ 19:46 UT
Region 13111 [N27W20] was quiet and stable.
Region 13112 [N20E24] developed slowly and was quiet. A small penumbra to the north of the main penumbra has spots of both polarities. Note that SWPC include the spots from AR S7901 in this region. C1 flares: C1.9 @ 09:09 UT
Region 13113 [N17W71] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13114 [S32W10] was quiet and stable.
Region 13115 [S18W10] was quiet and stable.
Region 13116 [N29E39] was quiet and stable.
Region 13117 [S11E03] decayed slowly and quietly.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC:
S7901 [N22E34] produced several C flares, none of which were impressive. The leading spot section is still magnetically complex with multiple magnetic deltas. A major flare is possible. C1 flares: C1.6 @ 05:32, C1.5 @ 19:36 , C1.4 @ 22:56 UT

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C4.4 00:43 N23E55 S7901 GOES16  
C2.1 04:27 N23E55 S7901 GOES16  
C2.5 08:13   13110 GOES16  
C2.2 10:38   S7901 GOES16  
C2.5 12:44   13110 GOES16  
M1.6 13:15 N17W66 13110 GOES16 LDE
C4.4 15:10   13110 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

October 2: A faint full halo CME was observed after the M8 flare in AR 13110 early in the day.
October 3: A partial halo CME was observed after a filament eruption early in the day to the east and south of AR 13115. The eruption began a few minutes after midnight and the CME was visible after 01h UT in LASCO imagery. While the core of the CME is not headed towards Earth, some of the ejecta could reach Earth on October 5 or 6.
October 4: No obvious CMEs were observed in available LASCO 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]

A recurrent coronal holes (CH1104) was Earth facing on September 29 - October 1. A trans equatorial coronal hole (CH1105) will be Earth facing on October 5.

Propagation

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

Forecast

Quiet to active conditions are likely on October 5-6, first due to effects from CH1104, then due to CME effects. Quiet to unsettled conditions are likely on October 7 becoming quiet to active on October 8-9 due to effects from CH1105.l

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: 0-30% probability, Yellow: 30-70% probability, Red: 70-100% probability.

Active solar regions


(Click on image for 2K resolution). 4K 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 officially numbered solar regions according to the Solar Region Summary provided by NOAA/SWPC, all other regions are numbered sequentially as they emerge using the STAR spot number. 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. SWPC data considered to be not sufficiently precise (location, area, classification) are colored red.

Active region SWPC date numbered
STAR detected
Spot count Location at midnight Area Classification SDO / HMI 4K continuum
image with magnetic polarity overlays
Comment
SWPC/
USAF
Magnetic
(SDO)
SWPC STAR Current Previous
2K 1K
13110 2022.09.22
2022.09.23
6 10 5 N18W79 0180 DAI DAO  
13111 2022.09.26
2022.09.27
1 8 1 N28W21 0060 HSX CSO

location: N27W20

S7894 2022.09.29       N12W37            
13113 2022.09.29
2022.09.30
4 6 4 N16W66 0090 CSO DAO

area: 0170

S7897 2022.09.29       N31W39            
13114 2022.09.30
2022.10.01
  2   S34W16 0002   AXX location: S32W10
13112 2022.09.30
2022.09.30
48 31 11 N23E32 0720 FKC DAO beta-gamma

area: 0200

location: N20E24

SWPC includes AR S7901 in this region

S7901 2022.09.30   72 43 N22E34 0700   FKC beta-gamma-delta
S7902 2022.09.30       N28E31          
S7903 2022.09.30       S12W17            
13115 2022.10.01
2022.10.03
12 26 16 S18W11 0130 DAO DAI

area: 0230

13116 2022.10.01
2022.10.03
9 15 6 N30E40 0030 CRO DRI area: 0050
13117 2022.10.02
2022.10.03
3 3 2 S11E04 0010 AXX AXX location: S11E03
S7908 2022.10.03       N12W21            
Total spot count: 83 173 88  
Sunspot number: 153 263 168  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 116 211 126  (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): 168 144 134  

Monthly solar cycle data

Month Average solar flux International sunspot number
(WDC-SILSO)
Smoothed sunspot number (4) Average ap
(3)
Measured 1 AU
2014.02 170.3
(cycle peak)
166.3 146.1 (SC24 peak) 110.5 10.70
2014.04 143.9 144.8 112.5 116.4 (solar max) 7.88
2017.09 91.3 92.3 43.6 18.2 (-1.3) 18.22
(cycle peak)
2019.11 70.2 68.7 0.5 2.0 (-0.6)
(Solar minimum using 365d smoothing:
November 17, 2019)
4.19
2019.12 70.8 68.6 1.6 1.8 (-0.2)
(ISN 13 months smoothed
solar minimum)
3.22
2021.03 76.0 75.2 17.2 21.7 (+2.7) 10.17
2021.04 75.9 76.4 24.5 24.8 (+3.1) 8.40
2021.05 75.3 77.1 21.2 25.8 (+1.0) 6.50
2021.06 79.4 81.8 25.0 27.6 (+1.8) 5.52
2021.07 81.0 83.6 34.3 31.4 (+3.8) 5.51
2021.08 77.7 79.7 22.0 35.4 (+4.0) 6.19
2021.09 87.0 88.2 51.3 40.2 (+4.8) 6.33
2021.10 88.9 88.3 37.4 45.2 (+5.0) 7.38
2021.11 86.2 84.4 34.8 50.8 (+5.6) 9.83
2021.12 103.0 99.8 67.5 55.9 (+5.1) 6.40
2022.01 103.8 100.5 55.3 60.1 (+4.2) 8.92
2022.02 109.1 106.5 60.9 64.8 (+4.7) 10.46
2022.03 117.0 115.8 78.6 68.9 (+4.1) 10.20
2022.04 130.8 131.7 84.0 (74.2 projected, +5.3) 11.79
2022.05 133.8 136.8 96.5 (80.6 projected, +6.4) 7.48
2022.06 116.1 119.8 70.3 (86.5 projected, +5.9) 8.20
2022.07 125.4 129.5 91.4 (93.7 projected, +7.2) 9.51
2022.08 114.2 117.1 75.4 (100.2 projected, +6.5) 10.92
2022.09 135.1 136.5 96.3 (105.2 projected, +5.0) 12.2
2022.10 152.3 (1)   16.1 (2A) / 124.8 (2B) / 115.3 (2C) (108.3 projected, +3.1) (13.8)
2022.11       (111.2 projected, +2.9)  
2022.12       (115.9 projected, +4.7)  
2023.01       (122.0 projected, +6.1)  
2023.02       (127.0 projected, +5.0)  
2023.03       (130.0 projected, +3.0)  
2023.11       (142.5 projected max SC25)  

1) Running average based on the daily 20:00 UTC observed solar flux value at 2800 MHz and any corrections applied to that measurement.
2A) Current impact on the monthly sunspot number based on the Boulder (NOAA/SWPC) sunspot number (accumulated daily sunspots / month days).
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 GFZ Potsdam WDC ap indices.
4) Source: SIDC-SILSO.

Solar cycles 24-25

Smoothed SF and sunspot numbers

 

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

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