Last major update issued on August 29, 2006 at 04:10 UTC.
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[Historical solar and
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August 6, 2006)]
The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on August 28. Solar wind speed ranged between 526 and 674 km/s (all day average 589 km/s - increasing 150 km/s over the previous day).
Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 76.4. The planetary A index was 11 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 10.8). Three hour interval K indices: 43222232 (planetary), 43322112 (Boulder).
The background x-ray flux is at the class A4 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.
Region 10905 decayed substantially and lost penumbra on the trailing spots. Occasional C flares are still possible.
August 27-28: No partly or fully Earth directed CMEs were detected
in incomplete LASCO imagery.
August 26: The C2.5 event late on August 26 in region 10905 was
associated with at least a partial halo CME. Most of the ejected material was
observed over the southern limbs.
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 trans equatorial coronal hole (CH237) was in an Earth facing location on August 24-26. A recurrent trans equatorial coronal hole (CH238) will rotate into an Earth facing position on August 29-31.
Processed SOHO/EIT 284 image at 19:08 UTC on August 18. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on August 30-31. A weak shock from the CME observed on August 26 is possible late on August 29, however, the presence of the current high speed stream could mask the arrival of the CME. A high speed stream from CH238 can cause unsettled to major storm conditions on September 1-3.
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.
Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along east-west paths over high and upper middle latitudes is poor. Weak to fair audio was heard from several stations in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the northeastern US states. One Florida station was present as well, 1660 WCNZ, a station which seems to be heard much more frequently than they were last year. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor to fair.
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10905 | 2006.08.20 | 38 | 18 | S06W22 | 0260 | EAC | classification was CAI at midnight, area 0190 |
Total spot count: | 38 | 18 | |||||
SSN: | 48 | 28 |
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) |
2005.06 | 93.7 | 39.3 | 28.8 (-0.1) |
2005.07 | 96.4 | 40.1 | 29.1 (+0.3) |
2005.08 | 90.5 | 36.4 | 27.4 (-1.7) |
2005.09 | 91.1 | 21.9 | 25.8 (-1.6) |
2005.10 | 77.0 | 8.5 | 25.5 (-0.3) |
2005.11 | 86.3 | 18.0 | 24.9 (-0.6) |
2005.12 | 90.7 | 41.2 | 23.0 (-1.9) |
2006.01 | 83.4 | 15.4 | 20.8 (-2.2) |
2006.02 | 76.5 | 4.7 | (18.4 predicted, -2.4) |
2006.03 | 75.4 | 10.8 | (16.6 predicted, -1.8) |
2006.04 | 89.0 | 30.2 | (15.9 predicted, -0.7) |
2006.05 | 80.9 | 22.2 | (15.1 predicted, -0.8) |
2006.06 | 76.5 | 13.9 | (12.9 predicted, -2.2) |
2006.07 | 75.7 | 12.2 | (11.4 predicted, -1.5) |
2006.08 | 79.5 (1) | 19.9 (2) | (11.4 predicted, -0.0) |
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% 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.
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