Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on June 2, 2023 at 07:55 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 (June 1, 2023)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (June 1, 2023) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (June 1, 2023) 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 (June 1, 2023) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (June 1, 2023) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (May 29, 2023) 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 June 1. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 377 and 487 km/sec. The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded unsettled to major storm levels.

Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 163.9 - increasing 2.0 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 141.82. In comparison SC24 peaked on June 28, 2014 at 145.50). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 12 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 11.8). Three hour interval K indices: 42323222 (planetary), 33433322 (Boulder), 65335455 (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 16 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 330) and in 14 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 217) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13315 [S16W75] decayed slowly and produced a few C flares. C1 flares: C1.9 @ 06:26 UT
Region 13316 [N09W45] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13318 [N25W68] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13319 [S18W42] decayed slowly and quietly. There is still a chance of M class flaring.
Region 13320 [N09E31] was quiet and stable.
Region 13321 [S17E41] was quiet and stable. There's a minor chance of an M class flare.
Region 13322 [N16W67] decayed slowly and was mostly quiet.
Region 13323 [S08E61] was considerably less active than on the previous day, likely because of a disappearing magnetic delta configuration. A major flare is still possible.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S8600 [S11W30] decayed slowly and quietly.
S8606 [N09E41] was quiet and stable.
S8609 [N18E16] reemerged with tiny spots.
S8610 [N29E38] decayed slowly and quietly.
S8611 [N15E03] developed slowly and was mostly quiet. C1 flares: C1.9 @ 08:14 UT
New region S8613 [S12E24] was observed with tiny spots in an old plage area.
New region S8614 [N07W33] emerged with tiny spots before noon, then decayed slowly.
New region S8615 [N10E12] emerged with tiny spots.

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C9.1 00:41   13313 GOES16 incorrectly attributed to AR 13315 by SWPC
C3.0 01:30   13322 GOES16 incorrectly attributed to AR 13323 by SWPC
C2.0 03:59   13323 GOES16  
C2.1 06:56   13323 GOES16  
C2.0 07:23   S8611 GOES16  
C3.7 09:29 S18W66 13315 GOES16  
C2.8 10:05   13323 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR 13315
C6.5 11:25 S17W66 13315 GOES16  
C3.4 12:27   13323 GOES16  
C2.9 12:34   S8611 GOES16  
C2.2 13:05   13323 GOES16  
C2.9 13:41   13323 GOES16 simultaneous flare at the southwest limb
C4.2 14:50 behind SW limb   GOES16  
C2.5 16:24   13321 GOES16  
C2.2 17:50   13323 GOES16  
C3.8 19:08   13323 GOES16  
C4.4 19:17 behind northwest limb   GOES16  
C6.2 20:40   13323 GOES16  
C3.5 22:00   13323 GOES16  
C2.9 22:17   13323 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

May 30 - June 1: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed.

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 (CH1150) rotated across the central meridian on May 31 - June 1 and appears to be closing. A southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1151) was Earth facing on May 29 - June 1.

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 minor storm conditions are possible on June 2-4 do to effects from CH1150 and CH1151.

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
13313 2023.05.18
2023.05.19
1     N21W93 0030 HSX     rotated out of view
13315 2023.05.22
2023.05.23
10 23 8 S17W74 0350 DHI EHO

location: S16W75

S8591 2023.05.24       N14W57            
13316 2023.05.24
2023.05.26
1 6 3 N09W45 0010 AXX BXO  
S8595 2023.05.26       N22W50          
S8596 2023.05.27       N01W56            
13318 2023.05.27
2023.05.29
2 7 4 N25W72 0120 DSO ESO

location: N25W68

area: 0160

S8598 2023.05.27       S09W51            
13319 2023.05.27
2023.05.29
13 32 19 S19W41 0240 EAI EKI area: 0420

location: S18W42

S8600 2023.05.27   6 2 S11W30 0013   BXO  
13317 2023.05.28
2023.05.29
1     N27W80 0010 AXX    

location: N27W82

S8602 2023.05.28       N11W34            
13320 2023.05.28
2023.05.29
2 8 2 N09E31 0030 CSO CSO area: 0070
13321 2023.05.29
2023.05.30
2 14 5 S15E41 0210 HAX CKO

area: 0310

location: S17E41

S8606 2023.05.29   5 2 N09E41 0020   AXX  
13322 2023.05.29
2023.05.30
3 3 2 N17W66 0020 CRO AXX location: N16W67

area: 0008

S8608 2023.05.29       S33W16            
S8609 2023.05.30   4   N18E16 0006   BXO    
S8610 2023.05.30   4   N29E38 0005   BXO  
S8611 2023.05.30   20 8 N15E03 0030   DRI  
13323 2023.05.30
2023.05.31
8 30 17 S08E57 0170 DAC EAC beta-delta

area: 0510

location: S08E61

S8613 2023.06.01   3 2 S12E24 0010   AXX    
S8614 2023.06.01   1 1 N07W32 0002   AXX    
S8615 2023.06.01   4 2 N10E12 0008   BXO    
Total spot count: 43 170 77  
Sunspot number: 143 330 217  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 86 218 125  (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): 157 182 174  

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 (SC24 solar max) 7.88
2017.09 91.3 92.3 43.6 18.2 (-1.3) 18.22
(SC24 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
2021.10 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 64.7 (+4.6) 10.46
2022.03 117.0 115.8 78.6 68.7 (+4.0) 10.20
2022.04 130.8 131.7 84.0 73.0 (+4.3) 11.79
2022.05 133.8 136.8 96.5 77.4 (+4.4) 7.48
2022.06 116.1 119.8 70.3 81.1 (+3.7) 8.20
2022.07 125.4 129.5 91.4 86.7 (+5.6) 9.51
2022.08 114.2 117.1 74.6 92.5 (+5.8) 10.92
2022.09 135.1 136.5 96.0 96.4 (+3.9) 12.18
2022.10 133.5 132.7 95.5 98.7 (+2.3) 11.16
2022.11 123.4 120.7 80.5 101.0 (+2.3) 9.33
2022.12 147.9 143.4 112.8 (105.8 projected, +4.8) 10.99
2023.01 182.4 176.6 143.6 (112.2 projected, +6.4) 8.73
2023.02 167.2 163.2 110.9 (117.0 projected, +4.8) 14.48
(current
SC25 peak)
2023.03 157.2 155.6 122.6 (120.1 projected, +3.1) 14.42
2023.04 145.4 146.4 96.4 (125.5 projected, +5.4) 13.40
2023.05 155.6 159.2 137.9 (131.2 projected, +5.7) 10.9
2023.06 163.9 (1)   4.8 (2A) / 143 (2B) / 157.0 (2C) (134.3 projected, +3.1) (11.8)
2023.07       (133.8 projected, -0.5)  
2023.08       (134.8 projected, +1.0)  
2023.09       (138.2 projected, +3.4)  
2023.10       (140.1 projected, +1.9)  
2023.11       (142.7 projected max SC25)  
2023.12       (142.6 projected, 0.1)  

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: WDC-SILSO, Royal Observatory Of Belgium, Brussels

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.