Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Last major update issued on February 22, 2025 at 08:20 UT.

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels on February 21. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 304 and 383 km/sec, averaging 346 km/sec (-103 km/sec compared to the previous day). The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to minor storm levels. The above 10 MeV proton flux increased slowly after 17:30 UT and was at 0.4 pfu at the end of the day. The most likely source of the increase is an event that occurred near the northwest limb starting around 10h UT and lasting for more than 4 hours.

Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 197.1 - increasing 15.4 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 193.31. In comparison SC24 peaked on June 28, 2014 at 145.50 while SC23 peaked on February 23, 2002 at 198.15. Current SC25 peak: 193.35 on August 7, 2024 (subtracting a baseline solar flux level of 65, this is +59.44% compared to the SC24 peak and -3.61% compared to the SC23 peak). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 5 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 4.9). Three hour interval K indices: 31111002 (planetary), 20112221 (Boulder), 43000015 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class C2 level (GOES 18).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 19 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 412) and in 13 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 243) SDO/HMI images.

AR 13990 [S09W77] was mostly quiet and stable.
AR 13991 [S12W50] decayed slowly and quietly.
AR 13993 [N14W30] was quiet and stable.
AR 13996 [S16W15] decayed slowly and produced a few C flares.
AR 13997 [N01W35] decayed slowly retaining only a single spot at the end of the day.
AR 13998 [S13W01] developed further gaining spots and area. The region has a small magnetic delta configuration and an M flare is possible.
AR 13999 [N04W20] decayed slowly and quietly.
New AR 14000 [N17E07] was first observed with spots on February 18 and was numbered by SWPC 3 days later. The impressive growth that began on February 20 continued and the region produced many C and M flares. A magnetic delta is still present in the trailing spot section. Further M flares are likely.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC/USAF:
S10802 [N10W57] decayed losing all but a tiny leader spot.
S10805 [S05W32] decayed slowly and quietly.
S10809 [S09E17] reemerged with a tiny spot.
S10812 [S22W25] decayed slowly and quietly.
S10813 [N25W64] developed and gained a small magnetic delta configuration. The spot group played a part in the eruptive events at and near the northwest limb near noon.
S10814 [S07W58] decayed slowly and quietly.
S10815 [N10E64] was quiet and stable.
New region S10816 [N13E34] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S10817 [S14E83] rotated into view.
New region S10818 [N17E85] rotated partly into view.
New region S10819 [S15E47] emerged with a tiny spot.

C2+ flares

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

February 19-21: No obviously Earth directed CMEs.

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 (CH1273) rotated across the central meridian on February 21. A positive polarity southern hemipshere coronal hole (CH1272) may be too far to the south to cause a disturbance. CH1272 will rotate across the central meridian on February 22-25. A recurrent trans equatorial positive polarity coronal hole (CH1271) will likely become Earth facing on February 24-26.

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 at quiet levels on February 22-23. Some unsettled and active intervals are possible on February 24 should a high speed stream associated with CH1273 arrive. Quiet to unsettled levels are possible on February 25-27 due to effects from CH1272. Quiet to minor storm levels are likely on February 27-28 due to effects from CH1271.

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.

Monthly solar cycle data

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 27 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

Update on the progress of solar cycle 25 as of February 10, 2025

Sunspot activity has been on a slowly decreasing trend since September 2024 (using the mean solar flux over 3 solar rotations as a proxy). The 365 days average ISN has a peak on July 8, 2024, but is still expected to peak in October 2024 due to low sunspot numbers in March and the first half of April 2024. Unless there is an uptick in sunspot activity over the next couple of months, the 365 days average solar flux is likely to peak 1-2% below the peak of solar cycle 23. While the 365d average solar flux peaks of SC23 and SC25 are similar, sunspot numbers will peak significantly lower for SC25 compared to SC23.

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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.