Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on June 28, 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 (June 1, 2023) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (June 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 (June 1, 2023) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (June 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 to unsettled on June 27. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 452 and 579 km/sec. The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to minor storm levels.

Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 151.2 - decreasing 10.2 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 144.98. In comparison SC24 peaked on June 28, 2014 at 145.50). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 7 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 7.0). Three hour interval K indices: 22322212 (planetary), 33332313 (Boulder), 43234524 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class C1 level (GOES 16).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 11 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 257) and in 11 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 184) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13339 [S19W65] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13340 [N24W57] decayed significantly and produced several flares including the largest flare of the day. C1 flares: C1.2 @ 00:25, C1.5 @ 00:38, C1.7 @ 01:14, C1.8 @ 09:19, C1.7 @ 18:59 UT
Region 13341 [S15W32] decayed further and was mostly quiet. C1 flares: C1.2 @ 11:22 UT
Region 13345 [N08W37] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13348 [S32W02] was quiet and stable.
Region 13350 [S09W19] was quiet and stable.
Region 13351 [N22E07] was mostly quiet and stable. C1 flares: C1.7 @ 23:24 UT
Region 13354 [N14E13] gained a lot of area and many spots as the region continued to develop quickly. Several small magnetic delta configurations formed. The probability of a major flare is increasing. C1 flares: C1.8 @ 02:30, C1.4 @ 03:30, C1.9 @ 03:36, C1.2 @ 04:21, C1.4 @ 04:52, C1.5 @ 08:03, C1.7 @ 18:43, C1.8 @ 19:33, C1.4 @ 21:02, C1.6 @ 21:07 UT
New region 13355 [S15E62] rotated into view on June 26 and was numbered by SWPC the next day.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S8705 [N29W21] reemerged with tiny spots.
New region S8707 [N20E31] emerged with a tiny spot.

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C2.9 01:30 N24W43 13340 GOES16  
C2.5 01:41   13340 GOES16  
C2.9 06:08 N15E23 13354 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR 13341
C5.3 07:15 N20W79 13337 GOES16  
C2.1 07:39 N20W79 13341 GOES16  
M1.2/2B 15:14 N22W49 13340 GOES16  
C9.7 15:25   13340 GOES16  
C2.0 16:03   13340 GOES16  
C5.6/1N 16:51 S16W23 13341 GOES16  
C2.3 17:46   13340 GOES16  
C2.6 18:01   13340 GOES16 incorrectly attributed to AR 13354 by SWPC. Simultaneous flare in AR 13341
C2.0 20:18 N21W59 13340 GOES16  
C2.0 21:32   13354 GOES16  
C4.4 22:33   13340 GOES16 incorrectly attributed to AR 13354 by SWPC

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

June 25-27: 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, trans equatorial coronal hole (CH1155) was Earth facing on June 23-24. A small southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1156) rotated across the central meridian on June 26-27.

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 for June 28-29 with a chance of active intervals due to effects from CH1155 and on June 30 due to effects from CH1156.

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
13337 2023.06.14
2023.06.15
1     N15W90 0010 AXX     rotated out of view
13339 2023.06.16
2023.06.17
3 6 1 S20W65 0060 CSO CSO

location: S19W65

13340 2023.06.17 17 28 13 N23W58 0260 EKI DAI

location: N24W57

13341 2023.06.18
2023.06.19
2 13 4 S15W33 0050 CAO CAO

 

S8682 2023.06.19       N15W59            
13345 2023.06.19
2023.06.20
1 4 2 N09W37 0010 HRX AXX

 

13346 2023.06.20
2023.06.21
      N08W61         location: N09W59
13350 2023.06.20
2023.06.23
  1 1 S11W17 0003   AXX location: S09W14
S8687 2023.06.20       N31W41            
S8689 2023.06.21       N15W14            
13347 2023.06.21
2023.06.23
      S19W77            
13348 2023.06.21
2023.06.23
5 12 7 S33W06 0010 BXO CRI location: S32W02

area: 0030

13349 2023.06.22
2023.06.23
      N08W17         location: N09W15
13351 2023.06.22
2023.06.23
2 12 3 N20E05 0010 BXO BXO location: N22E07

area: 0020

S8695 2023.06.22       N16W33            
S8698 2023.06.22       N37W38            
13354 2023.06.22
2023.06.26
19 65 42 N15E11 0450 DKI DKC beta-gamma-delta

area: 1040

location: N14E13

S8701 2023.06.23       S11W58            
13353 2023.06.24       S18W54           location is inside the trailing spot section of AR 13339
S8704 2023.06.24       N08W07            
S8705 2023.06.25   3 1 N29W21 0005   BXO    
13355 2023.06.26
2023.06.27
1 2 1 S16E56 0040 HAX HSX area: 0110
S8707 2023.06.27   1 1 N20E31 0003   AXX    
Total spot count: 51 147 76  
Sunspot number: 141 257 186  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 89 180 109  (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): 155 141 149  

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
2021.10 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 64.7 (+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 (105.8 projected, +4.8) 10.99
2023.01 182.4 176.6 143.6 (112.2 projected, +6.4) 8.73
2023.02 167.2 163.2 110.9 (117.0 projected, +4.8) 14.48
(current
SC25 peak)
2023.03 157.2 155.6 122.6 (120.1 projected, +3.1) 14.42
2023.04 145.4 146.4 96.4 (125.5 projected, +5.4) 13.40
2023.05 155.6 159.2 137.9 (131.2 projected, +5.7) 10.67
2023.06 162.1 (1)   129.2 (2A) / 143.6 (2B) / 180.6 (2C) (134.3 projected, +3.1) (8.5)
2023.07       (133.8 projected, -0.5)  
2023.08       (134.8 projected, +1.0)  
2023.09       (138.2 projected, +3.4)  
2023.10       (140.1 projected, +1.9)  
2023.11       (142.7 projected max SC25)  
2023.12       (142.6 projected, -0.1)  

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.