Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on November 7, 2024 at 15:35 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 (November 6, 2024)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (November 1, 2024) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (November 1, 2024) Noon SDO sunspot count 1K image / 4K (*)
  Solar cycles 1-24 (August 1, 2020) POES auroral activity level [October 2009 - December 2012]
  Comparison of cycles 21-25 (November 1, 2024) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (November 1, 2024) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (October 13, 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 quiet to unsettled on November 6. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 407 and 487 km/sec, averaging 456 km/sec (-6 compared to the previous day). 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 260.5 - increasing 44.2 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 184.67. In comparison SC24 peaked on June 28, 2014 at 145.50. Current SC25 peak: 184.67 on May 8, 2024). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 10 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 9.5). Three hour interval K indices: 33222222 (planetary), 32323221 (Boulder), 34313234 (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 19 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 495) and in 18 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 350) SDO/HMI images.

AR 13878 [N16W51] decayed and was mostly quiet.
AR 13879 [N15W29] gained tiny spots and was quiet.
AR 13881 [S09W42] decayed slowly and quietly.
AR 13883 [S06E07] gained spots and has multiple magnetic delta configurations in the trailing spot section. Further major flares are likely.
AR 13884 [S07E25] was quiet and stable.
AR 13886 [S04E40] was mostly quiet and stable.
New AR 13887 [N15W71] was first observed with spots on October 27. Late on November 4 new flux emerged quickly and many spots developed on Nov.5. After the major flare on Nov. 6 the magnetic delta configuration disappeared and the region seems to be slowly decaying.
New AR 13888 [N04W52] emerged on November 5 and was numbered by SWPC the next day as the region began to decay.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S10300 [S03W09] reemerged with tiny spots.
S10314 [S12E29] was quiet and stable.
S10319 [N18E04] was quiet and stable.
S10323 [S09W09] was quiet and stable.
S10324 [S12E38] developed slowly and quietly.
S10330 [S16E68] was quiet and stable.
S10331 [S08E38] developed slowly and quietly.
New region S10333 [S09E80] rotated into view as a complex, compact group with major flare potential.
New region S10334 [N12E08] emerged with tiny spots before noon, then decayed slowly.
New region S10335 [N19W40] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S10336 [S15E12] was observed with tiny spots in an old plage area.

C2+ flares

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C5.1 00:30   13883 GOES16  
C4.4 00:47   S10333 GOES16  
C4.7 00:58   S10333 GOES16  
C4.4 01:18   13886 GOES16  
C6.0 01:22   13883 GOES16  
C5.0 01:55   13883 GOES16  
C6.1 02:17   13883 GOES16  
M1.1 02:37   13883 GOES16  
M1.2 03:09   13883 GOES16  
C6.1 03:32   S10333 GOES16  
C5.6 03:50   S10333 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR S10333
C7.9 04:08   S10333 GOES16  
C6.0 04:58   S10333 GOES16  
C6.1 05:10 behind southwest limb   GOES16  
C6.4 05:14   S10333 GOES16  
C5.1 05:59   S10333 GOES16  
C5.3 06:15   13883 GOES16  
C6.6 06:29   S10333 GOES16  
C6.7 06:35   S10333 GOES16  
C7.3 07:01   S10333 GOES16  
C7.5 07:06   13883 GOES16  
C8.9 07:29   13883 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR S10333
M2.9 08:04   13883 GOES16  
M2.2 08:16   13887 GOES16  
M5.8 08:50 N15W59 13887 GOES16  
C7.2 09:37   S10333 GOES16  
C7.8 10:19   S10333 GOES16  
C7.2 10:30   S10333 GOES16  
C8.0 10:40   13883 GOES16  
C7.6 10:53   S10333 GOES16  
C7.4 11:31   13883 GOES16  
C8.4 11:58   S10333 GOES16  
M1.5 12:04 S07E17 13883 GOES16  
C7.1 12:31   S10333 GOES16  
C7.4 12:53   S10333 GOES16  
M1.2 13:02   S10333 GOES16  
M1.5 13:33   S10333 GOES16  
X2.3 13:40   13883 GOES16 moderate type II radio sweep
simultaneous flare in ARs 13887, 13884
M2.8 14:16   S10333 GOES16  
M5.0 14:34   S10333 GOES16  
M5.3 14:38   13883 GOES16  
M1.7 15:57   S10333 GOES16  
C9.2 16:42   S10333 GOES16  
C9.5 17:08   S10333 GOES16  
M1.2 17:18   S10333 GOES16  
M1.0 17:42   S10333 GOES16  
C9.6 18:43   13883 GOES16  
M1.1 18:59   S10333 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR 13883
C8.1 19:26   S10333 GOES16  
C6.5 19:45   S10333 GOES16  
C7.1 20:04   S10333 GOES16  
C6.8 20:16   S10333 GOES16  
C6.7 20:22   S10333 GOES16  
M1.3 20:42   S10333 GOES16  
C5.1 21:27   13887 GOES16  
C4.1 21:53   S10333 GOES16  
C5.5 22:29   S10333 GOES16  
M1.1 23:04   S10333 GOES16  
M1.1 23:15   S10333 GOES16  
M1.2 23:27   13887 GOES16  
M1.2 23:52   13883 GOES16  
M1.6 00:04   S10333 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

November 5-6: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed.
November 4: A slow full halo CME was observed after the M3.8 flare in AR 13883 at 01:40 UT.

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 trans equatorial negative polarity coronal hole (CH1253) rotated acrosss the central meridian on November 4-5. A recurrent northern hemisphere positive polarity coronal hole (CH1254) could become Earth facing on November 8-10.

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 to fair.

Forecast

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on November 6. The November 4 CME was observed reaching ACE at 14:24 UT on November 7 when a solar wind shock was detected. A high speed stream from CH1253 could cause some unsettled and active intervals on November 8-9.

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
13877 2024.10.25
2024.10.27
      S17W88          

location: S17W79

13878 2024.10.26
2024.10.27
4 7 5 N16W54 0150 DAO CSO

location: N16W51

area: 0200

13887 2024.10.27
2024.11.06
8 18 9 N16W69 0140 DSI DKO beta-gamma

area: 0300

location: N16W71

13879 2024.10.28
2024.10.29
1 22 10 N16W30 0440 HHX CHO

area: 0810

location: N15W29

13880 2024.10.29
2024.10.31
      S14W26        

location: S14W20

S10300 2024.10.30   4 1 S03W09          
13881 2024.10.30
2024.11.01
7 15 10 S09W41 0170 DSO DAO

area: 0210

location: S09W42

S10304 2024.10.31       S11W57          
S10307 2024.11.01       N08W40            
13883 2024.11.01
2024.11.02
24 64 46 S06E07 0360 EKC FKC beta-gamma-delta

area: 0980

S10309 2024.11.01       S24W32            
13884 2024.11.02
2024.11.02
1 11 5 S07E25 0050 HSX CAO

area: 0100

13885 2024.11.02
2024.11.03
      S10W85        

location: S09W85

S10314 2024.11.02   10 5 S12E29 0040   CRO  
S10315 2024.11.02       N27W59            
S10316 2024.11.02       N18W13            
13886 2024.11.03
2024.11.03
28 42 31 S08E37 0320 EKI EAI

location: S04E40

area: 0420

SWPC includes ARs S10331 and S10324 in this spot group

S10319 2024.11.03   6   N18E04 0010   BXO  
S10320 2024.11.03       N16E24            
S10321 2024.11.03       N31W44            
S10322 2024.11.04       N03W17            
S10323 2024.11.04   14 2 S09W09 0025   BXO  
S10324 2024.11.04   26 14 S12E38 0200   DAI  
S10325 2024.11.04       S14W00            
S10326 2024.11.04       S34W40            
13888 2024.11.05
2024.11.06
2 5 1 N04W51 0020 BXO BXO location: N04W52

area: 0007

S10329 2024.11.05       N15W15          
S10330 2024.11.05   5 2 S16E68 0030   CRO  
S10331 2024.11.05   37 18 S08E38 0230   EAI  
S10332 2024.11.05       S33W32          
S10333 2024.11.06   11 7 S09E80 0600   EKC   beta-gamma
S10334 2024.11.06   2 1 N12E08 0005   AXX    
S10335 2024.11.06   2 2 N19W40 0008   BXO    
S10336 2024.11.06   4 1 S15E12 0007   AXX    
Total spot count: 75 305 170  
Sunspot number: 155 495 350  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 125 381 246  (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): 171 272 280  

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
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
2023.11 153.5 150.2 105.4 127.9 (+3.1) 12.20
2023.12 151.1 146.4 114.2 129.5 (+1.6) 9.60
2024.01 164.6 159.3 126.0 131.1 (+1.6) 5.46
2024.02 172.5 168.3 123.0 136.9 (+5.8) 5.31
2024.03 154.4 152.9 103.7 141.4 (+4.5) 11.03
2024.04 161.3 162.6 137.0 144.4 (+3.1) 9.69
2024.05 187.7 191.9 172.1 (149.7 projected, +5.3) 23.56
(SC25 peak)
2024.06 184.3 190.2 164.1 (153.6 projected, +3.9) 10.24
2024.07 196.6 203.0 196.5  (156.5 projected, +2.9) 7.13
2024.08  246.1
(cycle peak)
252.2 215.5  (SC25 peak) (158.5 projected, +2.0) 15.96
2024.09 195.7 197.8 141.4 (161.2 projected, +2.7) 15.36
2024.10 221.0 219.6 166.3 (163.5 projected, +2.3) 19.0
2024.11 249.3 (1)   38.9 (2A) / 194.5 (2B) / 207.5 (2C) (161.8 projected, -1.7) (10.0)
2024.12       (158.7 projected, -3.1)  
2025.01       (154.4 projected, -4.3)  
2025.02       (147.6 projected, -6.8)  
2025.03       (142.8 projected, -4.8)  
2025.04       (139.8 projected, -3.0)  

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 October 27, 2024

Sunspot activity in October 2024 increased over September and looks to be headed for an SSN near 160. The average solar flux for October will become the second highest for a month during SC25. The above plot now displays the peak in 365d smoothed sunspot numbers in mid October. ISN has a peak on October 15, NOAA SN on October 14 while both the 1K and 2K SDO SN peaked on October 16. Assuming that the average sunspot number from October 2024 until April 14, 2025 becomes 150, we would be looking at a 365 days smoothed sunspot maximum of 164.5 centered on October 15. Should the average sunspot number for that period become 160 we would get a peak near 169.7.

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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.