Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on August 15, 2023 at 06:45 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 (August 5, 2023)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (August 1, 2023) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (August 1, 2023) 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 (August 1, 2023) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (August 1, 2023) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (July 10, 2023) 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 on August 14. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 317 and 365 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 154.0 - decreasing 43.5 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 151.99. In comparison SC24 peaked on June 28, 2014 at 145.50). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 4 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 4.0). Three hour interval K indices: 21011111 (planetary), 11012411 (Boulder), 40002232 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class B8 level (GOES 16).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 19 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 296) and in 13 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 172) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13394 [S22W81] was quiet and stable.
Region 13395 [N13W70] decayed further losing all mature penumbra. C1 flares: C1.0 @ 01:28, C1.8 @ 02:34, C1.1 @ 04:40, C1.2 @ 16:15, C1.5 @ 17:50, C1.6 @ 23:37 UT
Region 13397 [N19W45] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13399 [S16W21] was quiet and stable.
Region 13403 [N26E18] developed further and could produce C flares.
New region 13404 [S08E60] rotated into view on August 13 and was numbered the next day by SWPC.
New region 13405 [N10E77] rotated partly into view on August 13 with SWPC numbering the region the following day. C1 flares: C1.1 @ 05:54 UT

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S8848 [N21W09] was quiet and stable.
S8850 [N22E35] was quiet and stable.
S8851 [N07E11] was quiet and stable.
S8854 [S18W04] was quiet and stable.
S8856 [N20E12] decayed slowly and quietly.
New region S8859 [S19E37] emerged with several spots.
New region S8861 [S05E56] emerged with tiny spots to the northwest of AR 13404.
New region S8862 [N16W34] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S8863 [N26E78] rotated into view with tiny spots.
New region S8864 [N19E43] was observed with tiny spots in an old plage area.
New region S8865 [S09E18] emerged with a tiny spot.
New region S8866 [S33E36] emerged with a tiny spot.

AR 13401 produced a C1.1 flare at 08:23 UT while at the northwest limb.

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C8.9 21:10 N13E81 13405 GOES16 LDE
C3.0 22:17   13405 GOES16  
C2.2 22:41   13405 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

August 12-14: 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 (CH1164) was in an Earth facing position on August 12-13. A southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1165) rotated across the central meridian on August 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 to fair. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on August 15-17 due to possible effects from CH1164 and CH1165, active intervals are possible.

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: 0-30% 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
13394 2023.08.02
2023.08.03
1 1 1 S24W81 0150 HSX HHX
area: 0320

location: S22W81

13395 2023.08.03 5 9 6 N11W70 0100 DAO CRO

area: 0060

location: N13W70

S8821 2023.08.03       N32W47            
13401 2023.08.05
2023.08.11
      N25W87          
13397 2023.08.06
2023.08.07
6 9 3 N17W44 0090 DAO DAO area: 0140

location: N19W45

13399 2023.08.06
2023.08.09
  3   S15W34 0004   BXO location: S16W21
S8837 2023.08.07       N04W35          
S8838 2023.08.07       S14W43            
S8839 2023.08.08       S28W11            
13400 2023.08.10
2023.08.11
      S14W48            
S8845 2023.08.10       S19W19            
S8847 2023.08.10       N12W31            
S8848 2023.08.10   8 1 N21W09 0012   BXO  
S8849 2023.08.11       S09W53          
S8850 2023.08.11   7 1 N22E35 0010   BXO  
S8851 2023.08.11   11 2 N07E11 0020   BXO  
13402 2023.08.12
2023.08.13
      S18W61          
13403 2023.08.13
2023.08.13
10 23 12 N26E18 0130 DAO DAO

area: 0370

S8854 2023.08.13   4 2 S18W04 0015   BXO  
13404 2023.08.13
2023.08.14
2 4 3 S07E59 0060 HAX HAX area: 0120

location: S08E60

S8856 2023.08.13   3   N20E12 0005   AXX  
13405 2023.08.13
2023.08.14
1 3 2 N11E75 0120 HSX ESO area: 0210
S8858 2023.08.13       S12W53          
S8859 2023.08.14   8 4 S19E37 0030   CRO    
S8861 2023.08.14   5 4 S05E56 0017   CRO    
S8862 2023.08.14   2   N15W34 0003   AXX    
S8863 2023.08.14   2 1 N26E78 0005   AXX    
S8864 2023.08.14   2   N19E35 0003   AXX    
S8865 2023.08.14   1   S09E18 0002   AXX    
S8866 2023.08.14   1   S33E36 0001   AXX    
Total spot count: 25 106 42  
Sunspot number: 85 296 172  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 55 145 81  (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): 94 163 138  

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 (SC24 solar max) 7.88
2017.09 91.3 92.3 43.6 18.2 (-1.3) 18.22
(SC24 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
2022.01 103.8 100.5 55.3 60.1 (+4.2) 8.92
2022.02 109.1 106.5 60.9 64.7 (+4.6) 10.46
2022.03 117.0 115.8 78.6 68.7 (+4.0) 10.20
2022.04 130.8 131.7 84.0 73.0 (+4.3) 11.79
2022.05 133.8 136.8 96.5 77.4 (+4.4) 7.48
2022.06 116.1 119.8 70.3 81.1 (+3.7) 8.20
2022.07 125.4 129.5 91.4 86.7 (+5.6) 9.51
2022.08 114.2 117.1 74.6 92.5 (+5.8) 10.92
2022.09 135.1 136.5 96.0 96.4 (+3.9) 12.18
2022.10 133.5 132.7 95.5 98.7 (+2.3) 11.16
2022.11 123.4 120.7 80.5 101.0 (+2.3) 9.33
2022.12 147.9 143.4 112.8 106.6 (+5.6) 10.99
2023.01 182.4 176.6 143.6 113.3 (+6.7) 8.73
2023.02 167.2 163.2 110.9 (119.1 projected, +5.8) 14.48
(current
SC25 peak)
2023.03 157.2 155.6 122.6 (124.4 projected, +5.3) 14.42
2023.04 145.4 146.4 96.4 (130.5 projected, +6.1) 13.40
2023.05 155.6 159.2 137.9 (136.1 projected, +5.6) 10.67
2023.06 161.7 166.8 163.4 (139.3 projected, +3.2) 8.95
2023.07  176.4 182.2 159.1 (139.7 projected, +0.4) 8.15
2023.08  162.4 (1)   47.4 (2A) / 104.9 (2B) / 139.6 (2C) (141.5 projected, +1.8) (8.7)
2023.09       (145.0 projected, +3.5)  
2023.10       (146.8 projected, +1.8)  
2023.11       (149.4 projected max SC25, +2.6)  
2023.12       (148.6 projected, -0.8)  
2024.01       (145.7 projected, -2.9)  
2024.02       (144.3 projected, -1.4)  

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: WDC-SILSO, Royal Observatory Of Belgium, Brussels

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.