Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on July 3, 2023 at 06:00 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 (June 1, 2023)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (July 1, 2023) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (July 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 (July 1, 2023) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (July 1, 2023) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (May 29, 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 July 2. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 361 and 437 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 170.2 - increasing 1.0 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 145.90. 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: 3.9). Three hour interval K indices: 12111101 (planetary), 12131212 (Boulder), 21113234 (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 14 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 340) and in 10 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 204) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13354 [N16W58] decayed further in the trailing spot section while the leading spot section developed. The magnetic delta configuration is still present after the X1 flare. Another major flare is possible. C1 flares: C1.7 @ 01:37, C1.6 @ 14:10, C1.7 @ 15:07. C1.5 @ 15:40 UT
Region 13355 [S13W05] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13356 [S07E08] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13357 [S06E20] developed slowly and quietly.
Region 13358 [S13E45] is becoming a compact region and has developed magnetic delta structures. M class flares are likely. C1 flares: C1.8 @ 16:19 UT
Region 13359 [S21E40] developed further with a magnetic delta forming. Further M class flares are likely.
New region 13360 [N23E47] rotated into view on June 30 and developed on July 1. The region was mostly quiet and stable on July 2.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S8717 [S07E58] was mostly quiet and stable.
New region S8724 [N09E38] emerged with a few spots.
New region S8725 [S20E57] was observed with tiny spots in an old plage area.
New region S8726 [S37E38] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S8727 [N29W33] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S8728 [N23E73] rotated into view with tiny spots.
New region S8729 [N40W20] emerged with a tiny spot at a high latitude.

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C2.1 00:36   13354 GOES16  
M2.0 02:35   13359 GOES16 strong type II radio sweep
C4.1 02:56   13359 GOES16  
C2.9 03:34   13354 GOES16  
C2.3 04:22   13354 GOES16  
C2.1 04:38   13359 GOES16  
C2.0 06:03   13359 GOES16  
C2.0 06:28   13357 GOES16  
C2.0 07:10   13354 GOES16  
C2.3 07:20   13360 GOES16  
C2.4 08:14   13359 GOES16  
C6.5 08:24 N17W49 13354 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR 13359
C3.9 08:42   13358 GOES16  
C8.8 08:53 N16W51 13354 GOES16  
C3.1 09:40   13354 GOES16  
C3.1 09:52   13354 GOES16  
C3.0 10:03   13354 GOES16  
C2.4 11:09   13354 GOES16  
C2.4 11:16   13354 GOES16  
C2.3 11:34   13354 GOES16  
C2.0 13:21   13354 GOES16  
C2.1 16:37   13354 GOES16  
C2.6 17:35   13359 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR 13354
C2.3 21:03   S8717 GOES16  
C7.3 21:26 S13E46 13358 GOES16  
C4.1 21:33   13358 GOES16  
C2.7 21:49   13354 GOES16  
C2.6 22:09   13354 GOES16  
C5.7 22:29   13354 GOES16  
C4.4 22:45   13354 GOES16  
X1.0 23:14   13354 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

June 30 - July 2: 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 small southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1157) was Earth facing on June 30. A recurrent northern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1158) will likely be Earth facing on July 4-5.

Propagation

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

Forecast

Quiet to unsettled geomagnetic conditions are possible on July 3-4 due to weak effects from CH1157. Quiet conditions are likely on July 5.

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
13350 2023.06.20
2023.06.23
      S11W87           location: S09W79
13348 2023.06.21
2023.06.23
      S33W75           location: S34W64
13349 2023.06.22
2023.06.23
      N08W87           location: N09W80
13351 2023.06.22
2023.06.23
      N21W64           location: N22W60
13354 2023.06.22
2023.06.26
22 62 35 N16W58 1150 FKC FKC beta-gamma-delta
13355 2023.06.26
2023.06.27
1 7 3 S16W06 0010 AXX AXX area: 0014

location: S13W05

S8707 2023.06.27       N20W34            
13356 2023.06.29
2023.06.30
3 7 4 S07E09 0010 BXO CRO location: S07E08

area: 0025

S8711 2023.06.29       N14E10            
S8712 2023.06.29       S12W17            
S8713 2023.06.29       S12W28            
13357 2023.06.30
2023.07.01
6 24 13 S07E18 0030 DAO DAI location: S06E20

area: 0170

13358 2023.06.30
2023.07.01
15 48 23 S12E43 0070 DAI DAI beta-gamma-delta

location: S13E45

area: 0300

13359 2023.06.30
2023.07.01
7 25 17 S22E41 0060 DAI DAC beta-gamma-delta

location: S21E40

area: 0250

S8717 2023.06.30   6   S07E58 0008   BXO  
S8718 2023.06.30       N14E09          
13360 2023.06.30
2023.07.01
2 6 3 N23E44 0020 HSX CAO location: N23E47

area: 0090

S8720 2023.06.30       N31W11          
S8721 2023.06.30
2023.07.01
      N17E25            
S8722 2023.07.01       S17W29          
                       
S8724 2023.07.02   4 4 N09E38 0030   DRO    
S8725 2023.07.02   3   S20E57 0004   BXO    
S8726 2023.07.02   2 1 S37E38 0004   AXX    
S8727 2023.07.02   2   N29W33 0002   BXO    
S8728 2023.07.02   3 1 N23E73 0005   BXO    
S8729 2023.07.02   1   N40W20 0001   AXX    
Total spot count: 56 200 104  
Sunspot number: 126 340 204  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 86 236 140  (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): 139 187 163  

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
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 64.7 (+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 (113.7 projected, +6.1) 8.73
2023.02 167.2 163.2 110.9 (118.5 projected, +4.8) 14.48
(current
SC25 peak)
2023.03 157.2 155.6 122.6 (121.6 projected, +3.1) 14.42
2023.04 145.4 146.4 96.4 (127.0 projected, +5.4) 13.40
2023.05 155.6 159.2 137.9 (132.7 projected, +5.7) 10.67
2023.06 161.7 166.8 163.4 (135.9 projected, +3.2) 8.9
2023.07  167.9 (1)   7.9 (2A) / 122.5 (2B) / 174.5 (2C) (135.4 projected, -0.5) (4.3)
2023.08       (136.4 projected, +1.0)  
2023.09       (139.8 projected, +3.4)  
2023.10       (141.6 projected, +1.8)  
2023.11       (144.2 projected max SC25, +2.6)  
2023.12       (143.4 projected, -0.1)  
2024.01       (140.1 projected, -3.3)  

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.