Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on October 15, 2022 at 10:20 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 (October 6, 2022)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (October 1, 2022) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (October 1, 2022) 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 (October 1, 2022) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (October 1, 2022) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (August 21, 2022) 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

Recent activity

The geomagnetic field was quiet to active on October 14 under the influence coronal hole effects. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 312 and 505 km/sec. The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to active levels.

Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 120.5 - decreasing 11.0 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 116.41). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 16 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 16.1). Three hour interval K indices: 23444313 (planetary), 23454322 (Boulder), 32344324 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class B6 level (GOES 16).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 12 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 182) and in 7 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 89) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13119 [N28W52] decayed slowly and was mostly quiet.
Region 13121 [N23E42] decayed slowly and quietly.

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC:
S7901 [N23W84] rotated mostly out of view with only a single spot visible at the northwest limb at the end of the day. C1 flares: C1.3 @ 14:49 UT
S7918 [S29E23] gained tiny spots and was quiet.
S7921 [S22E30] was quiet and stable.
S7926 [S12W38] decayed slowly and quietly.
S7928 [N27W39] was quiet and stable.
S7929 [N25W15] was quiet and stable.
S7930 [S24E40] developed slowly and quietly.
New region S7931 [S13E05] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S7932 [S34W12] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S7933 [S22W19] was observed with a tiny spots in an old plage area.

A large filament eruption began at approximately 21:35 UT in the southwest quadrant. The associated CME does not appear to have any Earthbound components.

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
M1.3 09:44   S7901 GOES16  
C3.2 11:20   S7901 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

October 12-14: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were observed in available LASCO imagery.

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]

No obvious coronal holes are currently in potentially geoeffective positions.

Propagation

Long distance low and medium frequency (below 2 MHz) propagation along paths north of due west over upper middle and high latitudes is fair. Propagation on long distance northeast-southwest paths is poor.

Forecast

Quiet to minor storm conditions are expected on October 15 due to coronal hole effects and quiet to unsettled on October 16-17.

Coronal holes (1) Coronal mass ejection (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
13112 2022.09.30
2022.09.30
2     N23W92 0050 CAO      

location: N19W105

Keeping the original SWPC number for data integrity

SWPC has split this off as AR 13120

see AR S7901

S7901 2022.09.30   1   N23W84 0030   HRX

SWPC has this as AR 13112

13116 2022.10.01
2022.10.03
1     N29W95 0090 HAX     rotated out of view
13118 2022.10.05
2022.10.06
      N09W47          

location: N08W44

13119 2022.10.06
2022.10.07
5 8 5 N29W56 0100 DAO CAO

location: N28W52

area: 0070

S7915 2022.10.07       N31W39            
S7917 2022.10.09       S15W41            
S7918 2022.10.10   9 3 S29E23 0015   BXO  
13121 2022.10.11
2022.10.13
3 7 2 N24E41 0020 BXO BXO area: 0014

location: N23E42

S7921 2022.10.11   6   S24E40 0010   BXO  
S7922 2022.10.11       S14E29            
S7923 2022.10.12       N15E06            
S7924 2022.10.12       S20W07            
S7925 2022.10.12       S27W29            
S7926 2022.10.13   5   S12W38 0007   BXO  
S7927 2022.10.13       N34W21          
S7928 2022.10.13   6 2 N27W39 0013   BXO  
S7929 2022.10.13   7 4 N25W15 0025   DRO  
S7930 2022.10.13   7 2 S24E40 0010   BXO  
S7931 2022.10.14   3   S13E05 0007   BXO    
S7932 2022.10.14   2 1 S34W12 0004   BXO    
S7933 2022.10.14   1   S13E05 0002   AXX    
Total spot count: 11 62 19  
Sunspot number: 51 182 89  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 26 73 30  (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): 56 100 71  

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 (solar max) 7.88
2017.09 91.3 92.3 43.6 18.2 (-1.3) 18.22
(cycle 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
2021.03 76.0 75.2 17.2 21.7 (+2.7) 10.17
2021.04 75.9 76.4 24.5 24.8 (+3.1) 8.40
2021.05 75.3 77.1 21.2 25.8 (+1.0) 6.50
2021.06 79.4 81.8 25.0 27.6 (+1.8) 5.52
2021.07 81.0 83.6 34.3 31.4 (+3.8) 5.51
2021.08 77.7 79.7 22.0 35.4 (+4.0) 6.19
2021.09 87.0 88.2 51.3 40.2 (+4.8) 6.33
2021.10 88.9 88.3 37.4 45.2 (+5.0) 7.38
2021.11 86.2 84.4 34.8 50.8 (+5.6) 9.83
2021.12 103.0 99.8 67.5 55.9 (+5.1) 6.40
2022.01 103.8 100.5 55.3 60.1 (+4.2) 8.92
2022.02 109.1 106.5 60.9 64.8 (+4.7) 10.46
2022.03 117.0 115.8 78.6 68.9 (+4.1) 10.20
2022.04 130.8 131.7 84.0 (74.2 projected, +5.3) 11.79
2022.05 133.8 136.8 96.5 (80.6 projected, +6.4) 7.48
2022.06 116.1 119.8 70.3 (86.5 projected, +5.9) 8.20
2022.07 125.4 129.5 91.4 (93.7 projected, +7.2) 9.51
2022.08 114.2 117.1 75.4 (100.2 projected, +6.5) 10.92
2022.09 135.1 136.5 96.3 (105.2 projected, +5.0) 12.18
2022.10 150.6 (1)   50.4 (2A) / 111.6 (2B) / 114.3 (2C) (108.3 projected, +3.1) (12.6)
2022.11       (111.2 projected, +2.9)  
2022.12       (115.9 projected, +4.7)  
2023.01       (122.0 projected, +6.1)  
2023.02       (127.0 projected, +5.0)  
2023.03       (130.0 projected, +3.0)  
2023.11       (142.5 projected max SC25)  

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: SIDC-SILSO.

Solar cycles 24-25

Smoothed SF and sunspot numbers

 

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.