Last major update issued on March 25, 2008 at 04:45 UTC.
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The geomagnetic field was quiet on March 24. Solar wind speed ranged between 386 and 455 km/s.
Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 79.4. The planetary A index was 4 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 3.9). Three hour interval K indices: 11101111 (planetary), 02112201 (Boulder).
The background x-ray flux is at the class B1 level.
At midnight there were 2 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 10987 developed quickly and could produce occasional C class
flares.
New region 10988 emerged near the southeast limb on March 23 and was
numbered the next day by NOAA/SWPC. The region developed quickly on March 24.
Another active region is about to rotaate into view at the southeast limb and should be in view late on March 25.
March 22-24: No partially or fully Earth directed CMEs were observed.
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 coronal hole (CH317) in the northern hemisphere was in an Earth facing position on March 22-23. A recurrent trans equatorial coronal hole (CH318) will be Earth facing on March 25-28.
Processed SOHO/EIT 195 image at 00:24 UTC on March 25. The darkest areas on the solar disk are likely coronal holes.
Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along paths north of due west over high and upper middle latitudes is fair. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet on March 25. Some unsettled and active intervals are possible on March 26-27 due to effects from CH317 while a high speed stream from CH318 could cause quiet to active conditions on March 28-31. There is a chance of minor storm intervals, particularly on March 28-29.
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.
Compare to the previous day's image.
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 | SWPC spot count |
STAR spot count |
Location at midnight | Area | Classification | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10987 | 2008.03.23 | 9 | 19 | S08E36 | 0110 | DAI | |
10988 | 2008.03.24 | 6 | 9 | S09E59 | 0100 | DSI | formerly region S720 |
Total spot count: | 15 | 28 | |||||
SSN: | 35 | 48 |
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) |
2007.01 | 83.3 | 16.9 | 12.0 (-0.1) |
2007.02 | 77.7 | 10.6 | 11.6 (-0.4) |
2007.03 | 72.2 | 4.8 | 10.7 (-0.9) |
2007.04 | 72.4 | 3.7 | 9.8 (-0.9) |
2007.05 | 74.4 | 11.7 | 8.6 (-1.2) |
2007.06 | 73.7 | 12.0 | 7.6 (-1.0) |
2007.07 | 71.6 | 9.7 | 7.0 (-0.6) |
2007.08 | 69.1 | 5.7 | 6.0 (-1.0) |
2007.09 | 67.1 | 1.9 | (5.7 predicted, -0.3) |
2007.10 | 67.4 | 0.9 | (5.9 predicted, +0.2) |
2007.11 | 69.6 | 1.7 | (6.2 predicted, +0.3) |
2007.12 | 78.5 | 10.1 | (6.4 predicted, +0.2) |
2008.01 | 74.3 | 3.4 | (6.9 predicted, +0.5) |
2008.02 | 71.1 | 2.1 | (7.9 predicted, +1.0) |
2008.03 | 70.0 (1) | 4.0 (2) | (9.3 predicted, +1.4) |
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/SWPC) 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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