Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on November 23, 2024 at 07:20 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 at quiet to unsettled levels on November 22 under the influence of effects from CH1256/CH1257. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 362 and 448 km/sec, averaging 416 km/sec (+9 compared to the previous day). The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to minor storm 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 179.1 - decreasing 59.3 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 185.97. In comparison SC24 peaked on June 28, 2014 at 145.50 while SC23 peaked on February 23, 2002 at 198.15. Current SC25 peak: 186.14 on May 21, 2024). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 11 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 10.9). Three hour interval K indices: 22123333 (planetary), 12123323 (Boulder), 21113445 (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 17 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 339) and in 13 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 192) SDO/HMI images.

AR 13893 [S19W54] decayed slowly and could become spotless today.
AR 13896 [N05W72] decayed slowly and quietly.
AR 13898 [S15W51] decayed further and was quiet.
AR 13899 [S12W13] was quiet and stable.
AR 13900 [N22E12] was mostly quiet and stable.
AR 13901 [S07E09] developed early in the day, then began to decay again.
AR 13902 [S16E49] was quiet and stable.
AR 13903 [S11W32] matured and was quiet.
AR 13904 [S14W79] matured and was mostly quiet.
AR 13905 [S09E67] gained area and produced several C flares.
New AR 13906 [S16E75] rotated into view with large spots. The region has major flare potential.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S10380 [N20W14] reemerged with tiny spots.
S10384 [S19E16] was quiet and stable.
S10388 [N22W26] reemerged with tiny spots.
S10394 [S18W15] was quiet and stable.
New region S10396 [N02E17] was observed with tiny spots in an old plage area.
New region S10397 [N12E70] rotated into view with a tiny spot.

C2+ flares

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C3.0 00:49   13905 GOES16  
C3.1 01:07   13901 GOES16  
C3.1 02:47   13906 GOES16  
C9.0 03:44   13901 GOES16  
C2.4 05:03   13904 GOES16  
C3.0 05:43 behind northeast limb   GOES16  
C2.9 06:00   13906 GOES16  
C2.5 07:57   13900 GOES16  
C3.2 08:13   13901 GOES16  
C2.2 13:53   13905 GOES16  
C3.2 15:35   13906 GOES16  
M1.6/1N 15:46 S08E73 13905 GOES16  
C5.5 17:07 S05E16 13901 GOES16  
C3.2 17:57 S07E70 13905 GOES16  
C5.0 18:26   13905 GOES16  
C4.8 19:56   13905 GOES16  
C3.9 21:16   13906 GOES16  
M1.0 22:14   13906 GOES16  
C3.6 23:23   13905 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

November 19-20: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed.
November 21: A CME was associated with a filament eruption near the southeast limb, however, no components of this CME are expected to reach Earth. A large proton event occurred behind the central west limb at about 18:00 UT and was associated with a large CME.    

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 southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1256) rotated across the central meridian on November 18. A recurrent negative polarity southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1257) was Earth facing on November 19-20.

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

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled on November 22-23 due to effects from CH1256 and CH1257 and quiet on November 24.

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
13893 2024.11.12
2024.11.13
1 2   S19W59 0010 AXX AXX

location: S19W54

area: 0006

13894 2024.11.13
2024.11.14
      N21W69        

location: N26W61

13896 2024.11.14
2024.11.17
6 8 3 N05W74 0010 BXO BXO location: N05W72

area: 0020

S10357 2024.11.14       S17W47            
S10366 2024.11.16       S21W47            
S10368 2024.11.16       N24W38            
13900 2024.11.16
2024.11.18
2 18 3 N22E06 0010 CAO CRO

area: 0030

location: N22E11

13901 2024.11.17
2024.11.18
8 33 8 S08E07 0150 DAI DAC beta-gamma

area: 0420

location: S07E09

13898 2024.11.17
2024.11.17
10 21 9 S16W55 0030 CAO DRI

area: 0050

location: S15W51

13899 2024.11.17
2024.11.17
1 5 1 S12W16 0020 HSX CAO area: 0030

loction: S12W13

S10377 2024.11.18       S21W58            
S10378 2024.11.18       S20W14            
S10379 2024.11.18       S17E12            
S10380 2024.11.18   2 1 N20W14 0005   AXX    
S10382 2024.11.19       S04W11            
S10384 2024.11.19   8 2 S18E16 0012   BXO  
S10386 2024.11.19       S01W32            
13902 2024.11.20
2024.11.20
1 1 1 S16E42 0070 HSX HSX

location: S16E49

area: 0120

SWPC location is way off

S10388 2024.11.20   2 1 N22W26 0005   AXX    
13904 2024.11.20
2024.11.21
8 8 4 S14W77 0050 CAO DAO location: S14W79

area: 0210

S10390 2024.11.20       N27E42            
13903 2024.11.21
2024.11.21
6 16 11 S11W31 0050 DAO DAI

location: S11W32

area: 0170

13905 2024.11.21
2024.11.21
6 15 7 S09E64 0080 DAO EKO

location: S09E67

area: 0690

S10393 2024.11.21       S37W30          
S10394 2024.11.21   7   S18W15 0015   AXX  
13906 2024.11.22
2024.11.22
11 20 11 S16E73 0160 DAO DKC   was AR S10395

location: S16E75

area: 0610

S10396 2024.11.22   2   N02E17 0004   AXX    
S10397 2024.11.22   1   N12E70 0001   AXX    
Total spot count: 60 169 62  
Sunspot number: 170 339 192  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 105 220 113  (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): 187 186 154  

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
2023.03 157.2 155.6 123.3 121.1 (+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) 18.99
2024.11 192.8 (1)   105.0 (2A) / 143.2 (2B) / 200.5 (2C)
ISN current month average: 150
(161.8 projected, -1.7) (10.3)
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 2024. 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.