Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Last major update issued on January 17, 2006 at 04:00 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 21-23 (last update January 8, 2006)]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22 and 23 (last update January 8, 2006)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 2, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 23 (last update January 8, 2006)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2004 (last update February 1, 2005)]
[Archived reports (last update January 8, 2006)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on January 16. Solar wind speed ranged between 418 and 511 (all day average 449) km/sec under the influence of a moderately high speed stream from CH205.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 83.4. The planetary A index was 14 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 14.0).
Three hour interval K indices: 03224343 (planetary), 14433323 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux is at the class A3 level.

At midnight there were two spotted regions on the visible solar disk. The solar flare activity level was very low. No C class events were recorded during the day.

Region 10846 decayed slightly and was quiet.
Region 10847 developed slowly and was quiet.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

January 14-16: No obviously fully or partly Earth directed CMEs were 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

A trans equatorial coronal hole (CH205) was in an Earth facing position late on January 12 and on January 13.

Processed SOHO/EIT 284 image at 01:06 UTC on January 17. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on January 17 and quiet on January 18-20.

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) 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.

Propagation

/* No monitoring on January 17 */ Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along east-west paths over high and upper middle latitudes is excellent. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is very poor. Trans Atlantic propagation conditions are normally monitored every night on 1470 kHz. Dominant station tonight: WLAM Lewiston ME. On other frequencies there were many stations from mostly the eastern half of North America. As an example 870 kHz had WWL New Orleans as a clear dominant. During WWL fades it was possible to hear two other stations, one with a news talk format (possibly Ithaca, NY station) and another with oldies. On 1000 kHz KOMO Seattle WA had, at times, a strong signal.

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
10846 2006.01.15 11 10 N06W44 0070 DAI  
10847 2006.01.15 11 14 S08W21 0060 DAI  
Total spot count: 22 24  
SSN: 42 44  

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)
2004.11 113.2 43.5 35.3 (-0.6)
2004.12 94.5 17.9 35.2 (-0.1)
2005.01 102.2 31.3 34.6 (-0.6)
2005.02 97.2 29.2 33.9 (-0.7)
2005.03 89.9 24.5 33.5 (-0.4)
2005.04 86.0 24.4 31.6 (-1.9)
2005.05 99.3 42.6 28.9 (-2.7)
2005.06 93.7 39.6 28.8 (-0.1)
2005.07 96.4 39.9 (29.1 predicted, +0.3)
2005.08 90.5 36.4 (27.4 predicted, -1.7)
2005.09 91.1 22.1 (25.4 predicted, -2.0)
2005.10 77.0 8.5 (23.4 predicted, -2.0)
2005.11 86.3 18.0 (21.0 predicted, -2.4)
2005.12 90.7 41.2 (18.2 predicted, -2.8)
2006.01 80.7 (1) 10.7 (2) (15.2 predicted, -3.0)

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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