Last major update issued on November 6, 2009 at 04:40 UTC.
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The geomagnetic field was very quiet on November 5. Solar wind speed ranged between 286 and 328 km/s.
Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 70.5. The planetary A index was 1 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 1.1). Three hour interval K indices: 00100000 (planetary), 11100000 (Boulder).
The background x-ray flux is below the class A1 level.
At midnight there was 1 spotted region on the visible solar disk.
New region 11030 emerged in the northeast quadrant with reversed polarities.
November 3-5: No partially or fully Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO or STEREO imagery.
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 coronal hole (CH384) in the northern hemisphere was in an Earth facing position on November 2-3.
Processed STEREO-B 195 image at 02:55 UTC on November 5. 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 excellent. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet on November 7-8. There's a possibility of unsettled intervals on November 6 due to effects from CH384.
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11030 | 2009.11.05 | 5 | 6 | N25E04 | 0050 | CRO | classification was CSO at midnight |
Total spot count: | 5 | 6 | |||||
SSN: | 15 | 16 |
Month | Average solar flux at Earth |
International sunspot number (SIDC) | 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) |
2008.07 | 65.7 | 0.5 | 2.8 (-0.4) |
2008.09 | 67.1 | 1.1 | 2.3 (-0.3) |
2008.10 | 68.3 | 2.9 | 1.8 (-0.5) |
2008.11 | 68.6 | 4.1 | 1.7 (-0.1) |
2008.12 | 69.2 | 0.8 | 1.7 (-) probably the sunspot minimum |
2009.01 | 69.8 | 1.3 | 1.8 (+0.1) |
2009.02 | 70.0 | 1.4 | 1.9 (+0.1) |
2009.03 | 69.2 | 0.7 | 2.0 (+0.1) |
2009.04 | 69.7 | 1.2 | 2.2 (+0.2) |
2009.05 | 70.5 | 2.9 | (2.4 predicted, +0.2) |
2009.06 | 68.6 | 2.6 | (2.8 predicted, +0.4) |
2009.07 | 68.2 | 3.5 | (3.6 predicted, +0.8) |
2009.08 | 67.3 | 0.0 | (4.4 predicted, +0.8) |
2009.09 | 70.5 | 4.2 | (5.5 predicted, +1.1) |
2009.10 | 72.6 | 4.6 | (6.4 predicted, +0.9) |
2009.11 | 71.4 (1) | 0.5 (2) | (6.8 predicted, +0.4) |
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.