Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on September 24, 2022 at 07:05 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 (September 1, 2022)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (September 1, 2022) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (September 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 (September 1, 2022) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (September 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 unsettled on September 23 under the influence of effects associated with CH1101. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 368 and 503 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 146.3 - increasing 18.8 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 113.01). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 10 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 9.9). Three hour interval K indices: 21332323 (planetary), 32433322 (Boulder), 30134334 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class C1 level (GOES 16).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 10 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 285) and in 8 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 183) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13102 [S27W67] decayed slowly and produced a few C flares.
Region 13105 [S16E22] decayed in the leading spot section as the largest penumbra split into smaller penumbrae and lost area. The region was mostly quiet.
Region 13107 [S23E38] developed significantly and gained many spots in the trailing spot section. There is quite a bit of polarity intermixing and M flares are possible.
Region 13108 [S12W10] was mostly quiet and stable.
Region 13109 [N09W26] developed slowly and produced a few C flares.
New region 13110 [N17E71] rotated into view on September 22 and developed quickly on September 23. The region is compact and has a magnetic delta structure. Further M class flares are possible. C1 flares: C1.9 @ 02:38, C1.8 @ 12:41 UT

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC:
New region S7885 [N12W10] emerged early in the day, then decayed slowly after noon.
New region S7886 [N30E15] emerged with a tiny spot.
New region S7887 [N20E23] emerged with a tiny spot.

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C3.5 00:23 N10W13 13109 GOES16  
C2.2 02:37   13110 GOES16  
C6.0 03:39 S23E49 13107 GOES16  
C2.6 04:28 N15E88 13110 GOES16  
C5.0 05:10   13110 GOES16  
C4.0 05:34   13110 GOES16  
C2.6 06:20   13105 GOES16  
C2.7 06:40   13110 GOES16  
C2.5 08:38 N16E85 13110 GOES16  
C2.8 08:55 N10W16 13109 GOES16  
C2.7 09:38   13107 GOES16  
C2.2 09:59   13110 GOES16  
C2.2 11:01   13110 GOES16  
C7.2 11:33   13110 GOES16 simultaneous flare in AR 13109
C4.7 14:23 S22E45 13107 GOES16  
C5.6 14:52   13102 GOES16  
C3.6 17:16   13107 GOES16 incorrectly attributed to AR 13102 by SWPC
M1.7 18:10 N19E77 13110 GOES16 CME, moderate type II and weak type IV radio sweep
C8.5 18:55   13107 GOES16  
C2.4 20:40   13110 GOES16  
C2.0 21:55   13107 GOES16  
C2.6 22:15   13110 GOES16  
C3.0 22:27 S24E41 13107 GOES16  
C3.0 22:43   13107 GOES16  
C3.6 23:29 N10W24 13109 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

September 21-23: No obviously Earth directed CMEs were 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 trans equatorial coronal hole (CH1101) was in an Earth facing position on September 19-20. A recurrent southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1102) will rotate across the central meridian on September 22-24.

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

Quiet to unsettled conditions are likely on September 24 due to effects from CH1101. Quiet to active conditions are possible on September 25-27 due to effects from CH1102.

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
13102 2022.09.12
2022.09.13
4 7 6 S25W66 0160 DAO DSO

location: S27W67

S7872 2022.09.15       S19W54            
S7875 2022.09.17       N33W45            
13105 2022.09.19
2022.09.19
20 57 36 S16E21 0370 DKI EAI

location: S16E22

13106 2022.09.19
2022.09.20
  3   S12E10 0005      

location: S12E09

13108 2022.09.20
2022.09.21
6 20 9 S12W10 0090 CSO DSI  
13107 2022.09.20
2022.09.21
10 48 28 S24E37 0230 CAO FAI beta-gamma

location: S23E38

13109 2022.09.21
2022.09.22
7 32 13 N09W26 0040 DRO DRI area: 0070
13110 2022.09.22
2022.09.23
4 15 9 N16E72 0160 CAO DAC beta-delta

location: N17E71

S7885 2022.09.23   1   N12W10 0001   AXX    
S7886 2022.09.23   1 1 N30E15 0003   AXX    
S7887 2022.09.23   1 1 N20E23 0002   AXX    
Total spot count: 51 185 103  
Sunspot number: 111 285 183  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 84 213 131  (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): 122 157 146  

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
2021.02 74.3 72.4 8.2 19.0 (+1.7) 9.50
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 (68.7 projected, +3.9) 10.20
2022.04 130.8 131.7 84.1 (73.9 projected, +5.2) 11.79
2022.05 133.8 136.8 96.5 (80.3 projected, +6.4) 7.48
2022.06 116.1 119.8 70.5 (86.2 projected, +5.9) 8.20
2022.07 125.4 129.5 91.4 (93.4 projected, +7.2) 9.51
2022.08 114.2 117.1 75.4 (100.0 projected, +6.6) 10.92
2022.09 134.5 (1)   61.0 (2A) / 79.6 (2B) / 105.8 (2C) (104.9 projected, +4.9) (13.1)
2022.10       (108.1 projected, +3.2)  
2022.11       (110.9 projected, +2.8)  
2022.12       (115.7 projected, +4.8)  
2023.01       (121.7 projected, +6.0)  
2023.02       (126.7 projected, +5.0)  
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.