Last major update issued on January 2, 2008 at 02:45 UTC.
[Solar and
geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and
electron fluence charts (updated daily)
[Solar cycles 21-23
(last update October 4, 2007)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison
of cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update October 4, 2007)]
[Graphical
comparison of cycles 2, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update October 4, 2007)]
[Historical solar and
geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (last update April 5, 2007)]
[Archived reports
(last update October 3, 2007)]
The geomagnetic field was quiet on January 1. Solar wind speed ranged between 341 and 382 km/s.
Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 79.4. The planetary A index was 3 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 2.6). Three hour interval K indices: 11001101 (planetary), 12011111 (Boulder).
The background x-ray flux is at the class A2 level.
At midnight there was 1 spotted region on the visible solar disk. The solar flare activity level was low. A single C class event was recorded during the day.
New region 10980 rotated into view at the southeast limb. The region is small, however, there could be a weak magnetic delta in the single penumbra. Flare: C1.1 at 15:37 UTC.
December 30 - January 1: No obvious fully or partially 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 (CH306) in the southern hemisphere has become fairly small and will likely rotate into an Earth facing position on January 4-5.
Processed SOHO/EIT 195 image at 00:00 UTC on January 2. 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 fair to good. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor.
Monitoring remarks from a location near N58E06: January 1: Good signals were noted on most TA frequencies in widespread conditions as even a few west coast stations surfaced. The best Trans Atlantic propagation sector was 270-300 degrees.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet on January 2-6.
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10980 | 2007.12.31 | 2 | 3 | S07E69 | 0030 | BXO | beta-delta? classification was CAO at midnight |
Total spot count: | 2 | 3 | |||||
SSN: | 12 | 13 |
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) |
2006.09 | 77.8 | 14.4 | 15.6 (+0.0) |
2006.10 | 74.3 | 10.4 | 14.2 (-1.4) |
2006.11 | 86.3 | 21.5 | 12.7 (-1.5) |
2006.12 | 84.5 | 13.6 | 12.1 (-0.6) |
2007.01 | 83.3 | 16.9 | 12.0 (-0.1) |
2007.02 | 77.7 | 10.6 | 11.6 (-0.4) |
2007.03 | 72.2 | 4.8 | 10.8 (-0.8) |
2007.04 | 72.4 | 3.7 | 9.9 (-0.9) |
2007.05 | 74.4 | 11.7 | 8.7 (-1.2) |
2007.06 | 73.7 | 12.0 | (7.5 predicted, -1.2) |
2007.07 | 71.6 | 10.0 | (6.7 predicted, -0.8) |
2007.08 | 69.1 | 6.2 | (6.1 predicted, -0.6) |
2007.09 | 67.1 | 2.4 | (6.2 predicted, +0.1) |
2007.10 | 67.4 | 0.9 | (6.7 predicted, +0.5) |
2007.11 | 69.6 | 1.7 | (7.3 predicted, +0.6) |
2007.12 | 78.5 | 10.1 | (7.6 predicted, +0.3) |
2008.01 | 79.4 (1) | 16.3 (2) | (7.6 predicted, +0.3) |
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.
[DX-Listeners' Club] |