The geomagnetic field was at quiet levels on August 6. The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to active levels. The above 10 MeV proton flux was at background levels at the end of the day.
Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 270.0 - increasing 91.8 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 166.26. In comparison SC24 peaked on June 28, 2014 at 145.50. Current SC25 peak: 166.26 on February 5, 2024). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 4 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 4.5). Three hour interval K indices: 21200112 (planetary), 32312312 (Boulder), 42111222 (Andenes).
The background x-ray flux is at the class C3 level (GOES 16).
At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 12 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 491) and in 11 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 317) SDO/HMI images.
AR 13769 [N23W66] was quiet and stable.
AR 13772 [S24W35] decayed significantly in the trailing spot section and was mostly quiet. A small
magnetic delta configuration formed in a small penumbra southeast of the
largest penumbra.
AR 13774 [S07W10] gained many spots and could produce a major flare.
AR 13775 [N18W19] gained tiny spots, lost area and was mostly quiet.
AR 13776 [N08W38] was quiet and stable.
AR 13777 [S08E06] developed significantly and
could produce a major flare.
AR 13780 [S09E47] displayed no major changes and remains a compact
and complex spot group with X class flare potential.
AR 13781 [N14E53] redeveloped a magnetic delta configuration and
could produce M flares.
Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted
differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S9977 [N06W78] decayed slowly and produced
several flares.
S9984 [S14W08] decayed slowly and quietly.
New region S9998 [N03E78] rotated into view with a large spot.
New region S9999 [N20E18] was observed with tiny spots in an old
plage area.
C2+ flares
| Magnitude | Peak time (UT) | Location | Source | Recorded by | Comment |
| C3.4 | 00:13 | 13780 | GOES16 | ||
| C4.4 | 00:57 | 13775 | GOES16 | ||
| C7.8 | 01:13 | N17W07 | 13775 | GOES16 | |
| C4.7 | 01:43 | 13774 | GOES16 | ||
| M1.1 | 03:03 | 13781 | GOES16 | ||
| C3.6 | 03:37 | 13780 | GOES16 | ||
| C3.9 | 04:18 | 13781 | GOES16 | ||
| C4.2 | 06:17 | S08E47 | 13780 | GOES16 | |
| C4.9 | 07:08 | 13781 | GOES16 | ||
| C3.8 | 07:37 | 13781 | GOES16 | ||
| C3.5 | 07:55 | 13781 | GOES16 | ||
| C4.8 | 09:39 | 13774 | GOES16 | ||
| C8.1 | 11:35 | S12W02 (SDO/AIA) | 13774 | GOES16 | SWPC reports a location way off - S03W02 |
| C8.2 | 11:40 | S06W05 (SDO/AIA) | 13774 | GOES16 | |
| C6.8 | 14:19 | S05W02 | 13774 | GOES16 | |
| C4.8 | 14:46 | 13780 | GOES16 | ||
| C3.8 | 15:07 | behind southwest limb | GOES16 | ||
| C4.3 | 15:21 | 13777 | GOES16 | ||
| C5.8 | 16:15 | S11E47 | 13780 | GOES16 | |
| C3.8 | 17:57 | 13780 | GOES16 | ||
| C5.3 | 18:26 | 13774 | GOES16 | ||
| C4.4 | 18:43 | 13772 | GOES16 | ||
| C3.5 | 19:51 | behind southwest limb | GOES16 | ||
| C4.4 | 20:00 | behind southwest limb | GOES16 | ||
| C3.7 | 20:07 | 13774 | GOES16 | ||
| C4.8 | 20:45 | S9977 | GOES16 | ||
| C4.2 | 21:14 | 13777 | GOES16 | ||
| C4.0 | 22:24 | 13780 | GOES16 |
August 4-6: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed.
[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 northern hemisphere positive polarity coronal hole (CH1234) will likely rotate across the central meridian on August 7.
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.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels on August 6-9. Quiet to unsettled conditions are possible on August 10-11 due to weak effects from CH1234.
| 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.
(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 | ||||||||||
| 13769 | 2024.07.25 2024.07.26 |
1 | 4 | 3 | N23W69 | 0100 | HSX | HSX |
 |
 |
location: N23W66 |
| 13772 | 2024.07.29 2024.07.30 |
12 | 34 | 17 | S25W34 | 0320 | EKO | EKO |
 |
 |
beta-delta area: 0410 location: S24W35 |
| 13775 | 2024.07.30 2024.07.31 |
6 | 27 | 13 | N18W21 | 0040 | CSO | DAO |
 |
 |
beta-gamma location: N18W19 area: 0070 |
| 13774 | 2024.07.30 | 46 | 106 | 57 | S07W10 | 0440 | EKC | EHC |
 |
 |
beta-gamma area: 0820 |
| S9977 | 2024.07.30 | 3 | 2 | N06W78 | 0020 | HRX |
 |
 |
|||
| 13776 | 2024.07.31 2024.08.01 |
3 | N09W35 | 0007 | BXO |
 |
 |
location: N08W38 |
|||
| 13777 | 2024.08.01 2024.08.02 |
20 | 54 | 36 | S09E07 | 0210 | EAI | DKC |
 |
 |
location: S08E06 area: 0570 |
| S9983 | 2024.08.01 | S19W54 | |||||||||
| S9984 | 2024.08.02 | 6 | 4 | S14W08 | 0030 | DRO |
 |
 |
see AR 13779 which SWPC relocated to this spot group on 2024.08.05 | ||
| S9985 | 2024.08.02 | N22W08 | |||||||||
| S9986 | 2024.08.03 | S28E16 | |||||||||
| S9987 | 2024.08.03 | N04W37 | |||||||||
| 13780 | 2024.08.03 2024.08.04 |
44 | 114 | 63 | S13E44 | 1220 | FKC | FKC |
 |
 |
beta-gamma-delta location: S09E47 area: 1600 |
| 13779 | 2024.08.03 2024.08.04 |
8 | S15W04 | 0030 | CRO | SWPC has changed the location of the spot group to that of AR S9984 | |||||
| S9992 | 2024.08.03 | N18E33 | |||||||||
| 13781 | 2024.08.04 2024.08.05 |
5 | 10 | 8 | N13E53 | 0160 | DAO | DAC |
 |
 |
beta-gamma-delta location: N14E53 area: 0300 |
| S9995 | 2024.08.05 | N07E08 |
 |
||||||||
| S9996 | 2024.08.05 | N39W02 |
 |
||||||||
| S9998 | 2024.08.06 | 2 | 2 | N03E78 | 0320 | HKX |
 |
||||
| S9999 | 2024.08.06 | 8 | 2 | N20E18 | 0015 | BXO |
 |
||||
| Total spot count: | 142 | 371 | 207 | ||||||||
| Sunspot number: | 222 | 491 | 317 | (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions) | |||||||
| Weighted SN: | 195 | 442 | 278 | (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): | 244 | 270 | 254 | ||||||||
| 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 |
| 2022.11 | 123.4 | 120.7 | 80.5 | 101.2 (+2.3) | 9.33 |
| 2022.12 | 147.9 | 143.4 | 112.8 | 106.7 (+5.5) | 10.99 |
| 2023.01 | 182.4 | 176.6 | 144.4 | 113.3 (+6.6) | 8.73 |
| 2023.02 | 167.2 | 163.2 | 111.3 | 117.8 (+3.5) | 14.48 |
| 2023.03 | 157.2 | 155.6 | 123.3 | 121.1 (+3.3) | 14.42 |
| 2023.04 | 145.4 | 146.4 | 97.6 | 122.9 (+1.8) | 13.40 |
| 2023.05 | 155.6 | 159.2 | 137.4 | 124.2 (+1.3) | 10.67 |
| 2023.06 | 161.7 | 166.8 | 160.5 | 125.3 (+1.1) | 8.95 |
| 2023.07 | 176.4 | 182.2 | 160.0 | 124.6 (-0.7) | 8.15 |
| 2023.08 | 153.7 | 157.6 | 114.8 | 124.3 (-0.3) | 7.19 |
| 2023.09 | 154.4 | 156.0 | 134.2 | 124.0 (-0.3) | 14.26 |
| 2023.10 | 142.8 | 141.9 | 99.4 | 124.8 (+0.8) | 8.16 |
| 2023.11 | 153.5 | 150.2 | 105.4 | 127.8 (+3.0) | 12.20 |
| 2023.12 | 151.1 | 146.4 | 114.2 | 129.4 (+1.6) | 9.60 |
| 2024.01 | 164.6 | 159.3 | 126.0 | 131.1 (+1.7) | 5.46 |
| 2024.02 | 172.5 | 168.3 | 123.0 | (134.7 projected, +3.6) | 5.31 |
| 2024.03 | 154.4 | 152.9 | 103.7 | (138.1 projected, +3.4) | 11.03 |
| 2024.04 | 161.3 | 162.6 | 136.5 | (141.7 projected, +3.6) | 9.69 |
| 2024.05 | 187.7 (cycle peak) |
191.9 | 171.7 | (146.2 projected, +4.5) | 23.56 (SC25 peak) |
| 2024.06 | 184.3 | 190.2 | 164.2 | (149.9 projected, +3.7) | 10.24 |
| 2024.07 | 196.9 | 203.0 | 196.5 (SC25 peak) | (151.4 projected, +1.5) | 7.1 |
| 2024.08 | 247.4 (1) | 42.0 (2A) / 217.0 (2B) / 234.4 (2C) | (151.3 projected, -0.1) | (16.3) | |
| 2024.09 | (151.2 projected, -0.1) | ||||
| 2024.10 | (151.1 projected, -0.1) | ||||
| 2024.11 | (149.1 projected, -2.0) | ||||
| 2024.12 | (144.8 projected, -4.3) | ||||
| 2025.01 | (138.6 projected, -6.2) | ||||
| 2025.02 | (133.7 projected, -4.9) | ||||
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
Sunspot counts in July 2024 were the highest we've seen during solar cycle 25. With three consecutive months of high sunspot counts the projected peak for the smoothed ISN (365 days smoothing) has increased significantly to near 150. The month of the peak is currently likely to occur sometime between June and October 2024.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
