Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Last major update issued on November 15, 2004 at 02:20 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 21-23 (last update November 4, 2004)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update November 4, 2004)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 2, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update November 4, 2004)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2004 (last update November 8, 2004)]
[Archived reports (last update November 12, 2004)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on November 14. Solar wind speed ranged between 420 and 509 km/sec under the influence of a high speed stream from coronal hole CH126.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 100.3. The planetary A index was 9 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 9.0).
Three hour interval K indices: 42222221 (planetary), 43321221 (Boulder).

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

At midnight there were 5 spotted regions on the visible solar disk. The solar flare activity level was low. A total of 2 C class events was recorded during the day.

Region 10699 decayed very slowly and could become spotless today.
Region 10700 merged with region S474, it is no longer possible to separate the positive polarity areas. The region as a whole saw a substantial increase in penumbra area. C flares are possible. Flare: C1.2 at 14:16 UTC.
Region 10701 was quiet and stable.

Spotted regions not numbered by NOAA/SEC:
[S475] A new region emerged fairly quickly east northeast of region 10701 on November 12 and developed slowly on November 13. Slow decay was observed on November 14. Location at midnight: S14E06. Flare: long duration C1.0 peaking at 09:25 UTC.
[S477] A new region emerged in the southeast quadrant on November 14. Location at midnight: S03E49.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

November 12-14: No obviously Earth directed CMEs observed.

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

Recurrent coronal hole CH127 in the northern hemisphere will likely rotate into a geoeffective position on November 15-17.

Processed SOHO/EIT 284 image at 19:06 UTC on November 14. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on November 15-17. A high speed stream from coronal hole CH127 will likely begin to influence the geomagnetic field on November 18 and cause unsettled to active conditions until November 20.

Coronal holes (1) Coronal mass ejections (2) M and X class flares (3)
Coronal hole indicator CME indicator M and X class flare indicator

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) Material from a CME is likely to impact 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 useless. Propagation along long distance north-south paths is very poor. Trans Atlantic propagation conditions are normally monitored every night on 1470 kHz. Dominant station tonight: none, only a carrier detected. Carriers were noted on other frequencies as well, however, no audio was heard from any trans Atlantic stations.

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
10699 2004.11.09 11 1 S13E03 0080 DRO classification was AXX
at midnight, area 0010
location: S15W03
SEC has failed to
separate region 10699
and region S475
10700 2004.11.11 26 25 N04W40 0080 DRI classification was DAI
at midnight, area 0180
SEC classification
indicates rudimentary
penumbra on both
polarities. The
penumbrae are
obviously far more
developed than that
10701 2004.11.11 2 3 S15E30 0070 HAX classification was CAO
at midnight
S475 emerged on
2004.11.12
  5 S14E06 0060 DSO  
S476 emerged on
2004.11.13
    N08W81     rotated out of view
S477 emerged on
2004.11.14
  1 S03E49 0020 HSX  
Total spot count: 39 35
SSN: 69 85

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)
2003.08 122.1 72.7 60.0 (-1.7)
2003.09 112.2 48.7 59.5 (-0.5)
2003.10 151.7 65.5 58.2 (-1.3)
2003.11 140.8 67.3 56.7 (-1.5)
2003.12 114.9 46.5 54.8 (-1.9)
2004.01 114.1 37.3 52.0 (-2.8)
2004.02 107.0 45.8 49.3 (-2.7)
2004.03 112.0 49.1 47.1 (-2.2)
2004.04 101.2 39.3 45.5 (-1.6)
2004.05 99.8 41.5 (42.8 predicted, -2.7)
2004.06 97.4 43.2 (40.0 predicted, -2.8)
2004.07 119.1 51.0 (38.2 predicted, -1.8)
2004.08 109.6 40.9 (36.6 predicted, -1.6)
2004.09 103.1 27.7 (34.7 predicted, -1.9)
2004.10 105.9 48.4 (32.5 predicted, -2.2)
2004.11 120.3 (1) 42.3 (2) (31.0 predicted, -1.5)

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% less.

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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