Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Last major update issued on April 22, 2006 at 05:15 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 21-23 (last update April 1, 2006)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update April 1, 2006)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 2, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update April 1, 2006)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2005 (last update March 3, 2006)]
[Archived reports (last update April 3, 2006)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on April 21. Solar wind speed ranged between 338 and 511 (all day average 359) km/sec. A high speed stream from CH221 arrived after 14h UTC.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 79.2. The planetary A index was 8 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 8.4).
Three hour interval K indices: 12212422 (planetary), 12213422 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux is at the class B1 level.

At midnight there was 1 spotted region on the visible solar disk. The solar flare activity level was very low. No C class events were recorded during the day.

Region 10874 decayed and could soon become spotless.

Two active regions at or just behind the southeast limb are contributing to an increase in the background x-ray flux.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

April 19-21: No partly or fully Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO imagery.

Coronal holes

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

A coronal hole in the northern hemisphere (CH221) was in a partly Earth facing position on April 17-18.

Processed SOHO/EIT 284 image at 01:06 UTC on April 22. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to minor storm on April 22 and quiet to unsettled on April 23-24 due to a high speed stream from CH221.

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.

Propagation

Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along east-west paths over high and upper middle latitudes is very poor. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is fair to good. Trans Atlantic propagation conditions are normally monitored every night on 1470 kHz. Dominant stations tonight: Radio Vibración (Venezuela) and Radio Cristal del Uruguay. A number of stations from Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil were heard in the lower half of the MW band with the best reception being from LSR until 40 minutes after LSR. On 700 kHz LV2 (Argentina) and Rádio Eldorado (Brazil) were both good at times. Radio Diez (Argentina) on 710 kHz had an excellent signal.

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

Active region Date numbered SEC
spot
count
STAR
spot
count
Location at midnight Area Classification Comment
10872 2006.04.11     S08W57     plage
10874 2006.04.18 4 3 S01W25 0030 DRO area was 0010 at midnight
Total spot count: 4 3  
SSN: 14 13  

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)
2005.01 102.2 31.3 34.6 (-0.6)
2005.02 97.2 29.2 33.9 (-0.7)
2005.03 89.9 24.5 33.5 (-0.4)
2005.04 86.0 24.2 31.6 (-1.9)
2005.05 99.3 42.7 28.9 (-2.7)
2005.06 93.7 39.3 28.8 (-0.1)
2005.07 96.4 40.1 29.1 (+0.3)
2005.08 90.5 36.4 27.4 (-1.7)
2005.09 91.1 21.9 25.8 (-1.6)
2005.10 77.0 8.5 (24.8 predicted, -1.0)
2005.11 86.3 18.0 (22.7 predicted, -2.1)
2005.12 90.7 41.2 (19.8 predicted, -2.9)
2006.01 83.4 15.4 (16.7 predicted, -3.1)
2006.02 76.5 4.7 (13.6 predicted, -3.1)
2006.03 75.4 10.8 (11.4 predicted, -2.2)
2006.04 86.2 (1) 40.9 (2) (10.7 predicted, -0.7)

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/SEC) 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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