Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on June 4, 2013 at 04:15 UTC.

[Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (updated daily)]
[Solar wind and electron fluence charts (updated daily)]
[Solar cycles 23-24 (last update June 1, 2013)] [Cycle 24 progress (last update June 1, 2013) ]
[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22, 23 and 24 (last update June 1, 2013)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 24 (last update June 1, 2013)]
[Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (last update April 5, 2007)]
[Archived reports since January 2003 (last update May 6, 2013)]

[POES auroral activity level since October 2009 - updated January 26, 2013]
[Solar polar fields vs solar cycles - updated May 12, 2013]
[Presentation 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013 (pdf)]

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled on June 3. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 565 and 803 km/s under the influence of a high speed stream from CH571.

Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 111.8 (decreasing 16.9 over the last solar rotation). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 8 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 7.6). Three hour interval K indices: 32211223 (planetary), 33132323 (Boulder).

The background x-ray flux was at the class B3 level.

At midnight UTC the visible solar disk had 8 spotted active regions (in 2K resolution SDO images).

Region 11758 [S14W30] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 11760 [N12E04] gained several penumbra spots and was quiet.
Region 11762 [S28W32] developed further in the trailing spot section with a moderately strong magnetic delta structure within the largest penumbra. An M class flare is possible. C5+ flare: C9.5 at 07:25 UTC
Region 11764 [N12W36] was quiet and stable.

Spotted regions not numbered by SWPC:
S2453 [N17W55] reemerged with a penumbra spot.
S2457 [N19E18] decayed slowly and quietly.
New region S2459 [S21E38] emerged with penumbra spots in an old plage area.
New region S2460 [N09E48] emerged with a penumbra spot.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

June 1-3: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO and STEREO imagery.

Coronal holes

Coronal hole history (since 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 (CH572) in the southern hemisphere will likely rotate into an Earth facing position on June 4-5.

Coronal hole map

Propagation

Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along paths north of due west over high and upper middle latitudes is poor. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is fair to good.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on June 4 due to effects associated with CH571. Quiet conditions are likely on June 5-6 becoming quiet to unsettled on June 7-8 due to effects from CH572.

Coronal holes (1) Coronal mass ejection (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.

Active solar regions

(Click on image for 2K resolution) Compare to the previous day's image. 0.5k image

When available the active region map has a coronal hole polarity overlay where red (pink) is negative and blue is positive.

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
detected
Spot count Location at midnight Area Classification SDO / HMI 4K continuum
image with magnetic polarity overlay
Comment
SWPC STAR SDO SWPC STAR Current Previous
2K 1K
11757 2013.05.24
2013.05.25
1     S06W51 0000 AXX     plage
11758 2013.05.26   6 2 S21W30 0020   CRO location: S14W30
11759 2013.05.26
2013.05.27
      S07W36           plage
S2446 2013.05.27       S18W56           plage
11761 2013.05.28
2013.05.29
3     S17W16 0010 BXO     plage
11764 2013.05.28
2013.06.02
10 10 5 N12W36 0130 DSI DSO  
11760 2013.05.29 1 7 2 N12W03 0000 AXX BXO area: 0013

location: N12E04

S2451 2013.05.29       N21W16           plage
S2452 2013.05.29       N20W28           plage
S2453 2013.05.29   1   N17W55 0003   AXX    
11762 2013.06.01 19 21 10 S29W35 0300 DKI EKC beta-gamma-delta

area: 0600

location: S28W32

11763 2013.06.01 5     S14W29 0020 CRO       see AR 11758
S2456 2013.06.01       N28W31         plage
S2457 2013.06.02   1   N19E18 0003   AXX  
S2458 2013.06.02       S08W13         plage
S2459 2013.06.03   2 1 S21E38 0005   AXX    
S2460 2013.06.03   1   N09E48 0001   AXX    
Total spot count: 39 49 20  
Sunspot number: 99 129 70  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 57 67 38  (Sum of total spot count + classification weighting for each AR. Classification weighting: X=0, R=3, A/S=5, H/K=10)
Relative sunspot number (Wolf number): 59 45 39 k * (sunspot number). k = 0.6 for SWPC, k = 0.35 for STAR SDO 2K, k = 0.55 for STAR SDO 1K

Monthly solar cycle data

Month Average measured solar flux International sunspot number (SIDC) Smoothed sunspot number Average ap
(3)
2011.11 153.5 (cycle max) 96.7 (cycle max) 61.1 (+1.2) 5.55
2012.02 106.5 32.9 66.9 (+1.4)
possible cycle 24 max
8.81
2012.03 114.7 64.3 66.8 (-0.1) 16.08
2012.04 113.0 55.2 64.6 (-2.2) 10.10
2012.05 121.5 69.0 61.7 (-2.9) 7.06
2012.06 119.6 64.5 58.9 (-2.8) 10.08
2012.07 133.9 66.5 57.7 (-1.2) 13.90
2012.08 115.4 63.0 58.1 (+0.4) 7.96
2012.09 122.9 61.4 58.1 (-0.0) 8.07
2012.10 123.3 53.3 58.6 (+0.5) 9.97
2012.11 121.3 61.8 59.7 (+1.1) 7.08
2012.12 108.6 40.8 (59.5 projected, -0.2) 3.44
2013.01 127.1 62.9 (59.1 projected, -0.4) 4.69
2013.02 104.3 38.0 (59.3 projected, +0.2) 6.11
2013.03 111.3 57.9 (58.9 projected, -0.4) 10.56
2013.04 124.8 72.4 (58.6 projected, -0.3) 5.40
2013.05 131.4 78.7 (58.7 projected, +0.1) 9.04
2013.06 109.5 (1) 7.6 (2A) / 78.3 (2B) / 72.7 (2C) (59.0 projected, +0.3) (25.3)

1) Running average based on the daily 20:00 UTC observed solar flux value at 2800 MHz.
2A) Current impact on the monthly sunspot number based on the Boulder (NOAA/SWPC) sunspot number (accumulated daily sunspots / month days). The official SIDC international sunspot number is typically 30-50% lower. 2B) Boulder SN current month average to date. 2C) STAR SDO 1K Wolf number 30 day average.
3) Running average based on the quicklook and definitive Potsdam WDC ap indices. Values in red are based on the definitive international Potsdam WDC ap indices.

This report has been prepared by Jan Alvestad. It is based on analysis of data from whatever sources are available at the time the report is prepared. All time references are to the UTC day. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

SDO images are courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.