Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on June 21, 2024 at 06:40 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 9, 2024)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (June 1, 2024) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (June 1, 2024) 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, 2024) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (June 1, 2024) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (June 17, 2024) 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
Calculating the Strength of Solar Cycle 25 Using 365-day Smoothing

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was at quiet levels on June 20. 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 203.3 - increasing 40.5 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 162.44. In comparison SC24 peaked on June 28, 2014 at 145.50. Current SC25 peak: 162.44 on December 21, 2023). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 6 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 5.6). Three hour interval K indices: 21112122 (planetary), 22112223 (Boulder), 44123244 (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 11 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 265) and in 10 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 202) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13712 [S26W50] decayed slightly and was mostly quiet. Taking into account the large penumbrae, a major flare is still possible.
Region 13713 [S14W36] developed further and has multiple magnetic delta configurations. A major flare is possible.
Region 13716 [N09W45] developed early in the day in the trailing and intermediate spot section, after noon slow decay was observed in the leading and intermediate spot sections. M class flaring is possible.
Region 13718 [N12E00] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13719 [S13E54] developed slowly and was easily the most active region on the visible disk producing both M flares and several C flares.
Region 13720 [S05E62] was mostly quiet and unchanged.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S9806 [S09W16] was quiet and stable.
S9808 [S08W44] was quiet and stable.
S9815 [N16E61] was quiet and stable.
New region S9816 [S17E09] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S9817 [N23E82] rotated into view with a tiny spot.

C2+ flares

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C6.0 01:29     GOES16 LDE
C3.9 02:35     GOES16  
C3.1 04:03     GOES16  
C2.9 04:19     GOES16  
C2.4 05:29     GOES16  
C2.9 06:06   13713 GOES16  
C2.9 06:34   13713 GOES16  
C2.5 08:17 behind northeast limb   GOES16  
C7.1 09:39 S13E62 13719 GOES16  
C3.8 10:18   13716 GOES16  
C5.0 12:23   13720 GOES16 incorrectly attributed to AR 13713 by SWPC
simultaneous flare behind the northeast limb
C5.7 12:36   13719 GOES16  
C4.5 15:12   13719 GOES16  
M1.1 15:18   13719 GOES16  
C3.3 15:43   13716 GOES16  
C7.7 16:05   13716 GOES16  
C8.2 16:08   13719 GOES16 simultaneous flares in AR 13712
C7.4 16:55   13712 GOES16 simultaneous flares in ARs 13716 and 13720
C6.4 17:16   13713 GOES16  
C4.3 18:40   13719 GOES16  
C4.0 18:49   13716 GOES16 simultaneous flares in AR 13713
C6.5/1F 19:38 S15E58 13719 GOES16  
C3.8 21:09   13716 GOES16  
C3.8 21:20 behind southeast limb   GOES16  
C4.3 22:02   13716 GOES16  
C4.3 22:56   13712 GOES16  
M5.7/1B 23:16 S13E57 13719 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR 13712

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

June 18-20: No obviously Earth directed CMEs 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 negative polarity northern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1228) rotated across the central meridian on June 18.

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 active on June 21-23 due to effects from CH1228.

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
13714 2024.06.08
2024.06.12
      N14W88           location: N15W82
13715 2024.06.11
2024.06.12
      N17W63           location: N18W66
13712 2024.06.11
2024.06.12
15 26 15 S24W52 1050 EKC FKC

area: 1450

location: S26W50

13713 2024.06.11
2024.06.12
29 53 33 S14W39 0460 EKC EKC beta-gamma-delta

location: S14W36

area: 1480

13716 2024.06.12 22 37 19 N10W46 0430 EKC EKC beta-gamma-delta

area: 0960

location: N09W45

S9802 2024.06.15       S32W13            
S9804 2024.06.16       N17W30            
S9805 2024.06.16       S11E15            
S9806 2024.06.17   4 1 S09W16 0006   AXX  
S9807 2024.06.17       S12W55            
S9808 2024.06.18   9 7 S08W44 0025   BXO  
13718 2024.06.18
2024.06.19
1 8 3 N14W00 0020 HRX CRO location: N12E00
S9812 2024.06.18       N27W03            
13719 2024.06.19
2024.06.19
6 21 12 S13E55 0070 DAO DAO

area: 0270

location: S13E54

13720 2024.06.19
2024.06.19
5 12 10 S05E62 0060 DAO DAO

area: 0200

location: S05E77

S9815 2024.06.19   2 1 N16E61 0006   AXX  
S9816 2024.06.20   2 1 S17E09 0004   BXO    
S9817 2024.06.20   1   N23E82 0001   AXX    
Total spot count: 78 175 102  
Sunspot number: 138 265 202  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 121 218 145  (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): 152 146 162  

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
2022.10 133.5 132.7 95.5 98.9 (+2.4) 11.16
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  176.4 182.2 160.0 124.4 (-0.9) 8.15
2023.08  153.7 157.6 114.8 124.1 (-0.3) 7.19
2023.09  154.4 156.0 134.2 123.9 (-0.2) 14.26
2023.10  142.8 141.9 99.4 124.8 (+0.9) 8.16
2023.11 153.5 150.2 105.4 127.8 (+3.0) 12.20
2023.12 151.1 146.4 114.2 (128.7 projected, +0.9) 9.60
2024.01 164.6 159.3 123.0 (127.0 projected, -1.7) 5.46
2024.02 172.5 168.3 124.7 (126.2 projected, -0.8) 5.31
2024.03 154.4 152.9 104.9 (125.6 projected, -0.6) 11.03
2024.04 161.3 162.6 136.5 (125.6 projected, -0.0) 9.69
2024.05 187.7
(cycle peak)
191.9 171.7 (SC25 peak) (126.7 projected, +1.1) 23.56
(current
SC25 peak)
2024.06 182.2 (1)   104.5 (2A) / 156.7 (2B) / 155.1 (2C) (125.9 projected, -0.8) (9.0)
2024.07       (124.2 projected, -1.7)  
2024.08       (122.2 projected, -2.0)  
2024.09       (121.0 projected, -1.2)  
2024.10       (119.6 projected, -1.4)  
2024.11       (114.5 projected, -5.1)  
2024.12       (109.1 projected, -5.4)  

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

Update on the progress of solar cycle 25 as of June 6, 2024

May 2024 easily became the month with the highest sunspot counts during solar cycle 25, and early June has seen no change in that pattern of many spot groups, some of which are large and complex. The next candidate for solar max is still uncertain, however, May 20-21, 2024 has all of the smoothed 365d sunspot numbers as well as the 365d smoothed solar flux signalling a peak on those days.

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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.