Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on April 22, 2013 at 03:40 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 23-24 (last update April 1, 2013)] [Cycle 24 progress (last update April 7, 2013) ]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22, 23 and 24 (last update April 1, 2013)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 24 (last update April 1, 2013)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (last update April 5, 2007)]
[Archived reports since January 2003 (last update April 4, 2013)]

[POES auroral activity level since October 2009 - updated January 26, 2013]
[Solar polar fields vs solar cycles - updated March 24, 2013]
[Presentation 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013 (pdf)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet on April 21. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 270 and 298 km/s.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 109.3 (increasing 16.7 over the last solar rotation). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 2 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 2.1). Three hour interval K indices: 00000110 (planetary), 00011211 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux was at the class B3 level.

At midnight UTC the visible solar disk had 8 spotted active regions (in 2K resolution SDO images).

Region 11723 [S18W60] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 11726 [N12W22] developed further, particularly in the leading spot section. The main magnetic delta structure in the largest trailing penumbral structure became stronger. M and X class flares are possible.
Region 11727 [N25E31] decayed slowly and quietly.

Spotted regions not numbered by SWPC:
S2357 [S23W55] was quiet and stable.
S2368 [S16E59] was quiet and stable.
New region S2369 [N18E46] emerged with penumbra spots.
New region S2370 [S14E22] emerged with several penumbra spots.
New region S2371 [N12W35] emerged early in the day with several spots, then decayed slowly.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

April 19-21: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO and STEREO imagery. Several backsided large CMEs were observed on April 20-21.

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 trans equatorial coronal hole (CH566) will be Earth facing position on April 22-24.

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 fair to good. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet on April 22-23. Quiet to minor storm conditions are likely from late on April 24 until April 27 due to effects from CH566.

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
11724 2013.04.12
2013.04.13
      S26W32           plage
11723 2013.04.12
2013.04.13
3 3 2 S20W57 0040 CSO HAX location: S18W60
11725 2013.04.13
2013.04.19
      N10W84         plage
S2356 2013.04.15       S13W52           plage
S2357 2013.04.16   2 1 S23W55 0009   AXX  
S2358 2013.04.17       N10W23           plage
S2359 2013.04.17       S15E24           plage
S2360 2013.04.18       N16W58           plage
11727 2013.04.18
2013.04.19
7 16 9 N25E31 0060 DAO DAO area: 0090
11726 2013.04.19 36 69 31 N12W22 0260 EKC EKC gamma-delta

area: 0700

S2364 2013.04.19       N20W36           plage
S2365 2013.04.19       S14W33           plage
S2366 2013.04.19       S13W10           plage
S2367 2013.04.19       S06W08           plage
S2368 2013.04.20   1 1 S16E59 0004   AXX  
S2369 2013.04.21   2   N18E46 0004   AXX    
S2370 2013.04.21   8 2 S14E22 0018   BXO    
S2371 2013.04.21   2 1 N12W35 0008   AXX    
Total spot count: 46 103 47  
Sunspot number: 76 183 117  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 66 123 67  (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): 46 64 64 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 max) 96.7 (cycle max) 61.1 (+1.2) 5.55
2012.01 132.5 58.3 65.5 (+2.1) 7.15
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 (57.6 projected, -0.5) 9.97
2012.11 121.3 61.8 (56.9 projected, -0.7) 7.08
2012.12 108.6 40.8 (55.7 projected, -1.2) 3.44
2013.01 127.1 62.9 (54.3 projected, -1.4) 4.69
2013.02 104.3 38.0 (53.3 projected, -1.0) 6.11
2013.03 111.3 57.9 (52.2 projected, -1.1) 10.56
2013.04 124.0 (1) 80.7 (2A) / 115.2 (2B) / 60.3 (2C) (51.0 projected, -1.2) (4.14)

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.