Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on September 12, 2022 at 04:35 UT.

Charts (* = updated daily) Data and archive
  Solar wind (*) Solar and geomagnetic data - last month (*)
  Electron fluence (*) Archived daily reports and monthly data since 2003.01 (September 1, 2022)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (September 1, 2022) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (September 1, 2022) Noon SDO sunspot count 1K image / 4K (*)
  Solar cycles 1-24 (July 1, 2020) POES auroral activity level [October 2009 - December 2012]
  Comparison of cycles 21-25 (September 1, 2022) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (September 1, 2022) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (August 21, 2022) Cycle 25 spots (final update December 25, 2019)
  Solar cycles 24-25 transition using 365d smoothing Research: Solar Cycle 25 Started on November 17, 2019 with 365 Days Smoothing

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled on September 11. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 422 and 502 km/sec. The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to active levels.

Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 151.5 - increasing 20.9 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 111.05). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 8 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 8.4). Three hour interval K indices: 32122321 (planetary), 21133321 (Boulder), 32124444 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class C2 level (GOES 16).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 16 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 322) and in 11 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 182) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13092 [S09W65] was quiet and stable.
Region 13094 [N19W40] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13096 [N18E07] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13097 [S11W55] decayed slowly and quietly until late in the day when new flux emerged.
Region 13098 [N20W23] developed fairly quickly and has a magnetic delta in the leading spot section. M class flaring is possible.
Region 13099 [N12E19] was mostly quiet and stable. C1 flares: C1.0 @ 02:37 UT
Region 13100 [S23E37] gained spots and was mostly quiet. C1 flares: C1.2 @ 05:27 UT
Region 13101 [N29W70] developed further and has polarity intermixing. C flares are possible.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC:
S7842 [S25W04] was quiet and stable.
S7843 [N13E12] decayed slowly and quietly.
S7857 [N23W20] decayed slowly and quietly.
S7858 [N15W20] was quiet and stable.
S7860 [S17E61] was quiet and stable.
New region S7862 [S19E44] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S7863 [S21E26] emerged with a tiny spot.
New region S7864 [S21W23] emerged with a tiny spot.

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C4.7 10:33 N21W14 13098 GOES16  
C2.0 11:57   13101 GOES16  
C4.5 12:33 N21W18 13098 GOES16  
C2.4 12:58   13098 GOES16  
C3.5 13:54 N21W18 13098 GOES16  
C5.2 14:38 N20W18 13098 GOES16  
C2.6 15:26   13101 GOES16  
C3.6 16:06   13101 GOES16  
C4.8 16:50   13098 GOES16  
C3.5 18:13   13101 GOES16  
C4.7 18:27   13098 GOES16  
C2.9 19:35   13098 GOES16  
C6.1 22:28 N19W25 13098 GOES16  
C2.5 23:14   13098 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR 13100

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

September 9-11: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed.

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 northern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1098) was Earth facing on September 10. Another northern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1099) will likely rotate across the central meridian on September 13-14.

Propagation

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

Forecast

Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected on September 12. Quiet to unsettled conditions are possible on September 13-14 due to effects from CH1098.

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: 0-30% probability, Yellow: 30-70% probability, Red: 70-100% probability.

Active solar regions


(Click on image for 2K resolution). 4K 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 officially numbered solar regions according to the Solar Region Summary provided by NOAA/SWPC, all other regions are numbered sequentially as they emerge using the STAR spot number. 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. SWPC data considered to be not sufficiently precise (location, area, classification) are colored red.

Active region SWPC date numbered
STAR detected
Spot count Location at midnight Area Classification SDO / HMI 4K continuum
image with magnetic polarity overlays
Comment
SWPC/
USAF
Magnetic
(SDO)
SWPC STAR Current Previous
2K 1K
13092 2022.08.31
2022.09.01
2 3 2 S09W68 0060 HSX CSO location: S09W65

area: 0090

13093 2022.08.31
2022.09.02
      S26W81          

location: S29W72

13094 2022.09.02
2022.09.02
1 8 2 N21W41 0010 AXX CRO location: N19W40

area: 0015

13097 2022.09.05
2022.09.07
  6 3 S11W53 0016   BXO

location: S11W55

S7840 2022.09.05       N17W35            
13096 2022.09.05
2022.09.06
5 18 8 N16E05 0030 CRO DRI

location: N18E07

S7842 2022.09.05   7   S25W04 0007   BXO  
S7843 2022.09.06   5   N13E12 0008   BXO  
13098 2022.09.06
2022.09.08
12 32 20 N18W22 0160 EAI EAC beta-gamma-delta

area: 0280

location: N20W23

S7845 2022.09.06       S09W08            
S7848 2022.09.07       S24W35            
S7849 2022.09.08       N15W51            
13100 2022.09.08
2022.09.10
11 28 12 S25E37 0080 CAI EAI

location: S23E37

area: 0150

13099 2022.09.09
2022.09.10
2 5 3 N12E18 0010 BXO CRO  
S7853 2022.09.09       S04W09            
S7854 2022.09.09       S16E01            
13101 2022.09.10
2022.09.10
10 23 12 N29W71 0060 DAI ESI was AR S7856

area: 0160

location: N29W70

S7857 2022.09.10   6 2 N23W20 0010   BXO  
S7858 2022.09.10   13 6 N15W20 0040   DRI split off from AR 13098
S7859 2022.09.10       N19W56          
S7860 2022.09.10   3 2 S17E61 0007   BXO  
S7861 2022.09.10       S02E20          
S7862 2022.09.11   3   S19E44 0005   BXO    
S7863 2022.09.11   1   S21E26 0002   AXX    
S7864 2022.09.11   1   S21W23 0001   AXX    
Total spot count: 43 162 72  
Sunspot number: 113 322 182  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 66 194 104  (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): 124 177 146  

Monthly solar cycle data

Month Average solar flux International sunspot number
(WDC-SILSO)
Smoothed sunspot number (4) Average ap
(3)
Measured 1 AU
2014.02 170.3
(cycle peak)
166.3 146.1 (SC24 peak) 110.5 10.70
2014.04 143.9 144.8 112.5 116.4 (solar max) 7.88
2017.09 91.3 92.3 43.6 18.2 (-1.3) 18.22
(cycle peak)
2019.11 70.2 68.7 0.5 2.0 (-0.6)
(Solar minimum using 365d smoothing:
November 17, 2019)
4.19
2019.12 70.8 68.6 1.6 1.8 (-0.2)
(ISN 13 months smoothed
solar minimum)
3.22
2021.02 74.3 72.4 8.2 19.0 (+1.7) 9.50
2021.03 76.0 75.2 17.2 21.7 (+2.7) 10.17
2021.04 75.9 76.4 24.5 24.8 (+3.1) 8.40
2021.05 75.3 77.1 21.2 25.8 (+1.0) 6.50
2021.06 79.4 81.8 25.0 27.6 (+1.8) 5.52
2021.07 81.0 83.6 34.3 31.4 (+3.8) 5.51
2021.08 77.7 79.7 22.0 35.4 (+4.0) 6.19
2021.09 87.0 88.2 51.3 40.2 (+4.8) 6.33
2021.10 88.9 88.3 37.4 45.2 (+5.0) 7.38
2021.11 86.2 84.4 34.8 50.8 (+5.6) 9.83
2021.12 103.0 99.8 67.5 55.9 (+5.1) 6.40
2022.01 103.8 100.5 55.3 60.1 (+4.2) 8.92
2022.02 109.1 106.5 60.9 64.8 (+4.7) 10.46
2022.03 117.0 115.8 78.6 (68.7 projected, +3.9) 10.20
2022.04 130.8 131.7 84.1 (73.9 projected, +5.2) 11.79
2022.05 133.8 136.8 96.5 (80.3 projected, +6.4) 7.48
2022.06 116.1 119.8 70.5 (86.2 projected, +5.9) 8.20
2022.07 125.4 129.5 91.4 (93.4 projected, +7.2) 9.51
2022.08 114.2 117.1 75.4 (100.0 projected, +6.6) 10.92
2022.09 129.1 (1)   28.6 (2A) / 78.0 (2B) / 105.3 (2C) (104.9 projected, +4.9) (20.2)
2022.10       (108.1 projected, +3.2)  
2022.11       (110.9 projected, +2.8)  
2022.12       (115.7 projected, +4.8)  
2023.01       (121.7 projected, +6.0)  
2023.02       (126.7 projected, +5.0)  
2023.11       (142.5 projected max SC25)  

1) Running average based on the daily 20:00 UTC observed solar flux value at 2800 MHz and any corrections applied to that measurement.
2A) Current impact on the monthly sunspot number based on the Boulder (NOAA/SWPC) sunspot number (accumulated daily sunspots / month days).
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 GFZ Potsdam WDC ap indices.
4) Source: SIDC-SILSO.

Solar cycles 24-25

Smoothed SF and sunspot numbers

 

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 Universal Time. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

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