Last major update issued on May 29, 2010 at 05:20 UTC.
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The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled on May 28. Solar wind speed ranged between 335 and 412 km/s under the influence of CMEs observed on May 23/24. A weak solar wind shock was observed at SOHO at 02:19 UTC with a sudden increase in solar wind speed from 347 to 392 km/s. This was the arrival of the CME observed on May 23. The interplanetary magnetic field has swung moderately strongly southwards early on May 29 and minor or even major geomagnetic storming is possible for the remainder of the day.
Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 73.2. The planetary A index was 10 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 10.4). Three hour interval K indices: 13223233 (planetary), 13223122 (Boulder).
The background x-ray flux is at the class A3 level.
At midnight there were 3 spotted regions on the visible solar disk.
Region 11072 decayed slowly and is rotating out of view at the southwest limb today.
Spotted regions not numbered by NOAA/SWPC:
[S770] This region emerged on May 28 in the northwest quadrant.
Location at midnight: N18W45.
[S771] This region rotated into view a few days ago but didn't develop
spots until May 28. Location at midnight: N12E47.
May 25-28: No obvious Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO or
STEREO
images.
May 24: A partial halo CME was observed in LASCO images and was associated
with another filament eruption in the same location as one day earlier.
May 23: A full halo CME was observed in LASCO images after a
filament eruption in the northwest quadrant, this was associated with a long
duration B1.3 event peaking at 18:01 UTC.
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 (CH406) in the northern hemisphere was in an Earth facing position on May 28. CH406 has diminished over the last few days.
Processed SOHO/EIT 195 image at 00:00 UTC on May 29. 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 very poor. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor to fair.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to minor storm on May 29 due to CME effects, isolated major storm intervals are possible. Quiet to unsettled conditions are likely on May 30 while a high speed stream from CH406 could cause unsettled to minor storm on May 31.
| 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 | SWPC Classification |
Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11072 | 2010.05.21 | 2 | 2 | S15W79 | 0045 | HAX | area was 0030 at midnight |
| S768 | 2010.05.25 | N18W33 | plage | ||||
| S769 | 2010.05.26 | N15W29 | plage | ||||
| S770 | 2010.05.28 | 1 | N18W45 | 0010 | AXX | ||
| S771 | 2010.05.28 | 2 | N12E47 | 0010 | BXO | ||
| Total spot count: | 2 | 5 | |||||
| SSN: | 12 | 35 | |||||
| Month | Average measured solar flux | International sunspot number (SIDC) | Smoothed sunspot number | Average ap (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | |
| 2008.07 | 65.7 (SF minimum) | 0.5 | 2.8 (-0.4) | |
| 2008.12 | 69.2 | 0.8 | 1.7 (-) sunspot minimum |
3.25 |
| 2009.03 | 69.2 | 0.7 | 2.0 (+0.1) | 4.85 |
| 2009.04 | 69.7 | 1.2 | 2.2 (+0.2) | 4.52 |
| 2009.05 | 70.5 | 2.9 | 2.3 (+0.1) | 4.75 |
| 2009.06 | 68.6 | 2.6 | 2.7 (+0.4) | 5.22 |
| 2009.07 | 68.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 (+0.9) | 5.49 / 4.55 |
| 2009.08 | 67.3 | 0.0 | 4.8 (+1.2) | 5.70 / 4.89 |
| 2009.09 | 70.5 | 4.2 | 6.1 (+1.3) | 3.88 / 3.61 |
| 2009.10 | 72.6 | 4.6 | 7.0 (+0.9) | 3.66 / 3.56 |
| 2009.11 | 73.6 | 4.2 | (7.7 predicted, +0.7) | 2.45 / 2.63 |
| 2009.12 | 76.7 | 10.6 | (8.9 predicted, +1.2) | 1.41 / 1.92 |
| 2010.01 | 81.1 | 13.1 | (10.2 predicted, +1.3) | 2.93 / 3.07 |
| 2010.02 | 84.7 | 18.6 | (11.8 predicted, +1.6) | 4.15 / 4.61 |
| 2010.03 | 83.4 | 15.4 | (13.7 predicted, +1.9) | 4.58 / 4.65 |
| 2010.04 | 75.9 | 7.9 | (15.3 predicted, +1.8) | 10.22 / 10.24 |
| 2010.05 | 73.9 (1) | 15.6 (2) | (16.6 predicted, +1.3) | (7.76) |
1) Running average based on the
daily 20:00 UTC observed solar flux
value at 2800 MHz.
2) Current impact on the monthly SSN based on the Boulder (NOAA/SWPC) sunspot number
(accumulated daily sunspots / month days). The official international sunspot number is typically
30-50% lower.
3) Running average based on the
daily SWPC ap indices. Values in red are based on
the
official NGDC ap indices.
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.