Last major update issued on January 4, 2014 at 06:30 UTC.
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[Solar cycles 23-24 (last update January 1, 2014)] [Cycle
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[Solar cycles 1-20]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 21, 22, 23 and 24 (last
update January 1, 2014)]
[Graphical comparison of cycles 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and
24 (last update January 1, 2014)]
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[Solar polar fields vs solar cycles - updated
December 16, 2013]
[Presentation
3rd
SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013 (pdf)]
The geomagnetic field was quiet on January 3. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 465 and 558 km/s under the weakening influence of a high speed stream from CH598.
Solar flux measured at 20h UTC on 2.8 GHz was 182.3 (increasing 25.4 over the last solar rotation). The 90 day 10.7 flux at 1 AU was 142.2. The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 6 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 6.4). Three hour interval K indices: 21222221 (planetary), 22333322 (Boulder).
The background x-ray flux is at the class C1 level.
At the time of counting spots (see image time) spots were observed in 15 active regions in 2K resolution (SN: 347) and 13 active regions in 1K resolution (SN: 232) SDO images on the visible solar disk.
Region 11936 [S17W82] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 11937 [S12W42] developed significantly as new flux emerged. The
region has polarity intermixing and could produce C flares.
Region 11938 [S15W27] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 11940 [S11W83] rotated partly out of view.
Region 11941 [S13W62] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 11942 [N10E22] was quiet and stable.
Region 11943 [S12E31] was quiet and stable.
Region 11944 [S08E52] is a large and complex region capable of producing
major M and X class flares. The region developed quickly in the eastern part
with many new spots emerging and is currently the largest region observed during
cycle 24. There is a weak magnetic delta structure in a small northern penumbra.
C5+ flares: C5.9 at 10:42, M1.0 at 12:50, long
duration C6.9 event peaking at 15:35, M1.1 at 21:14 UTC.
Region 11945 [N10E04] ewas quiet and stable.
Spotted regions not numbered (or interpreted differently) by SWPC:
S2959 [N18W25] reemerged with penumbra spots.
S2971 [S20E06] was quiet and stable.
New region S2983 [N19E62] emerged with 2 spots.
New region S2984 [N38W05] emerged with a penumbra spot at a relatively
high latitude.
New region S2985 [S05W54] emerged with a penumbra spot.
New region S2986 [S26E27] emerged with penumbra
spots.
January 1-3: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed in LASCO and STEREO imagery.
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 recurrent trans equatorial coronal hole (CH598) was in an Earth facing position on December 29-31.
Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along paths north of due west over upper middle latitudes is poor. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is fair to good.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet on January 4-6.
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.
(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 | ||||||||||
11936 | 2013.12.22 2013.12.23 |
5 | 6 | 4 | S16W75 | 0110 | DAI | CAO |
area: 0240 location: S17W82 |
||
11937 | 2013.12.25 2013.12.26 |
8 | 21 | 12 | S12W47 | 0030 | DAO | DAI |
beta-gamma area: 0120 location: S12W42 |
||
11938 | 2013.12.26 2013.12.27 |
3 | 14 | 5 | S14W31 | 0010 | BXO | CRO |
area: 0040 location: S15W27 |
||
S2959 | 2013.12.27 | 4 | 1 | N18W25 | 0010 | BXO | |||||
11941 | 2013.12.28 2013.12.31 |
3 | 4 | 3 | S13W61 | 0020 | CSO | CRO | |||
S2965 | 2013.12.29 | S28W23 | plage | ||||||||
S2966 | 2013.12.29 | S14W06 | plage | ||||||||
S2967 | 2013.12.29 | S35W49 | plage | ||||||||
S2971 | 2013.12.30 | 2 | S20E06 | 0003 | AXX | ||||||
11943 | 2013.12.30 2013.12.31 |
3 | 8 | 2 | S12E30 | 0010 | CRO | CRO | area: 0035 | ||
11942 | 2013.12.30 2013.12.31 |
4 | 12 | 7 | N10E23 | 0030 | CAO | CAO | area: 0060 | ||
11940 | 2013.12.30 2013.12.31 |
4 | 5 | 3 | S12W85 | 0070 | DAO | CAO | area: 0100 | ||
S2975 | 2013.12.30 | S24W50 | plage | ||||||||
11944 | 2013.12.31 2014.01.01 |
37 | 105 | 56 | S09E53 | 1280 | FKC | FKC |
beta-gamma-delta area: 2500 |
||
S2977 | 2013.12.31 | N14W16 | plage | ||||||||
11945 | 2014.01.01 2014.01.02 |
5 | 10 | 6 | N10E04 | 0010 | DRO | DRO | area: 0040 | ||
S2980 | 2014.01.01 | S04W06 | plage | ||||||||
S2983 | 2014.01.03 | 2 | 1 | N19E62 | 0007 | AXX | |||||
S2984 | 2014.01.03 | 1 | 1 | N38W05 | 0004 | AXX | |||||
S2985 | 2014.01.03 | 1 | S05W54 | 0003 | AXX | ||||||
S2986 | 2014.01.03 | 2 | 1 | S26E27 | 0010 | AXX | |||||
Total spot count: | 72 | 197 | 102 | ||||||||
Sunspot number: | 162 | 347 | 232 | (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions) | |||||||
Weighted SN: | 113 | 239 | 144 | (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): | 97 | 121 | 128 | k * (sunspot number). k = 0.6 for SWPC, k = 0.35 for STAR SDO 2K, k = 0.55 for STAR SDO 1K |
Month | Average measured solar flux | International sunspot number (SIDC) | Smoothed sunspot number | Average ap (3) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011.11 | 153.5 (cycle peak) | 96.7 (cycle peak) | 61.1 (+1.2) | 5.55 |
2012.02 | 106.5 | 32.9 | 66.9 (+1.4) possible cycle 24 max |
8.81 |
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 | 59.6 (-0.1) | 3.44 |
2013.01 | 127.1 | 62.9 | 58.7 (-0.9) | 4.69 |
2013.02 | 104.3 | 38.0 | 58.4 (-0.3) | 6.11 |
2013.03 | 111.3 | 57.9 | 57.5 (-0.9) | 10.56 |
2013.04 | 124.8 | 72.4 | 57.9 (+0.4) | 5.40 |
2013.05 | 131.4 | 78.7 | 59.9 (+2.0) | 9.73 |
2013.06 | 110.1 | 52.5 | 62.6 (+2.7) | 12.60 |
2013.07 | 115.5 | 57.0 | (65.4 projected, +2.8) | 9.47 |
2013.08 | 114.6 | 66.0 | (67.8 projected, +2.4) | 8.27 |
2013.09 | 102.6 | 36.9 | (70.1 projected, +2.3) | 5.23 |
2013.10 | 132.1 | 85.6 | (70.0 projected, -0.1) | 7.71 |
2013.11 | 148.3 | 77.6 | (68.1 projected, -1.9) | 5.68 |
2013.12 | 147.7 | 90.3 | (67.4 projected, -0.7) | 4.6 |
2014.01 | 167.5 (1) | 12.9 (2A) / 133.7 (2B) / 95.2 (2C) | (67.6 projected, +0.2) | (12.4) |
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 the 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.