Solar Terrestrial Activity Report

Activity chart

Last major update issued on April 3, 2023 at 06:35 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 (April 1, 2023)
Solar cycle Solar cycles 23-25 (April 1, 2023) Historical solar and geomagnetic data charts 1954-2006 (April 5, 2007)
  Cycle 24-25 progress (April 1, 2023) 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 (April 1, 2023) 3rd SSN Workshop, Tucson, 2013
  Comparison of cycles 12-14, 16, 24-25 (April 1, 2023) 4th SSN Workshop, Locarno, 2014
  Solar polar fields vs. solar cycles (January 21, 2023) 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 April 2 due to effects from CH1138. Solar wind speed at SOHO ranged between 493 and 626 km/sec. The high latitude magnetometer at Andenes recorded quiet to minor storm levels.

Solar flux density measured at 20h UT on 2.8 GHz was 126.9 - decreasing 61.1 over the previous solar rotation. (Centered 1 year average SF at 1 AU - 183 days ago: 138.44). The Potsdam WDC planetary A index was 13 (STAR Ap - based on the mean of three hour interval ap indices: 12.9). Three hour interval K indices: 43332013 (planetary), 44433222 (Boulder), 44433035 (Andenes).

The background x-ray flux is at the class B7 level (GOES 16).

At the time of counting spots (see image time), spots were observed in 12 active regions using 2K resolution (SN: 192) and in 10 active regions using 1K resolution (SN: 139) SDO/HMI images.

Region 13262 [S18W72] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13264 [N16W46] decayed slowly and quietly.
Region 13266 [N09W11] was quiet and stable.
Region 13267 [S18W05] decayed slowly and quietly.
New region 13269 [S27E46] rotated into view on March 30 and was numbered by SWPC 3 days later.
New region 13270 [S22W04] began to emerge late on April 1 with tiny spots, then saw rapid development after noon on April 2. A weak magnetic delta formed in the northern central spots early on April 3 and M class flaring is possible. C1 flares: C1.8 @ 20:29, C1.3 @ 22:08 UT

Spotted regions not observed (or interpreted differently) by SWPC:
S8408 [N13E14] was quiet and stable.
S8418 [S11E32] decayed slowly and quietly.
New region S8419 [N36W17] emerged before noon with bipolar spots, then decayed slowly.
New region S8420 [S16E10] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S8422 [N11E05] emerged with tiny spots.
New region S8423 [S26E27] emerged with tiny spots.

A long duration C1.0 flare peaked at 08:26 UT with a source behind the northwest limb.

C2+ flares:

Magnitude Peak time (UT) Location Source Recorded by Comment
C3.4 23:13   13270 GOES16  

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

March 31 - April 2: 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 small southern hemisphere coronal hole (CH1139) rotated across the central meridian on April 1.

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 active conditions are expected April 3-5, first due to effects from CH1138, then on April 4-5 from CH1139.

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
13262 2023.03.21
2023.03.22
2 2 2 S18W74 0060 HAX HAX

location: S18W72

area: 0040

13264 2023.03.23
2023.03.24
1 2 1 N16W46 0060 HSX HAX

area: 0040

13266 2023.03.26
2023.03.29
  9 4 N08W11 0015   BXO  
13267 2023.03.27
2023.03.29
  5 2 S17W08 0010   BXO location: S18W05
S8407 2023.03.27       S20W58            
S8408 2023.03.28   9   N13E14 0015   BXO  
13268 2023.03.28
2023.03.29
      S24W33           location: S23W29
S8410 2023.03.29       S12W48            
13269 2023.03.30
2023.04.02
2 5 4 S25E42 0010 AXX CRO  
S8415 2023.03.31       S16W43            
S8417 2023.03.31       S14W30            
S8418 2023.04.01   1   S11E32 0003   AXX  
13270 2023.04.02 9 29 19 S23W04 0080 DAO DRI   beta-gamma

location: S22W04

area: 0150

S8419 2023.04.02   1 1 N36W17 0003   AXX    
S8420 2023.04.02   3 2 N16E10 0007   AXX    
S8422 2023.04.02   4 3 N11E05 0012   BXO    
S8423 2023.04.02   2 1 S26E27 0004   AXX    
Total spot count: 14 72 39  
Sunspot number: 54 192 139  (total spot count + 10 * number of spotted regions)
Weighted SN: 29 88 55  (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): 59 106 111  

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
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 64.7 (+4.6) 10.46
2022.03 117.0 115.8 78.6 68.7 (+4.0) 10.20
2022.04 130.8 131.7 84.0 73.0 (+4.3) 11.79
2022.05 133.8 136.8 96.5 77.2 (+4.2) 7.48
2022.06 116.1 119.8 70.3 80.9 (+3.7) 8.20
2022.07 125.4 129.5 91.4 86.5 (+5.6) 9.51
2022.08 114.2 117.1 74.6 92.3 (+5.8) 10.92
2022.09 135.1 136.5 96.0 96.2 (+3.9) 12.18
2022.10 133.5 132.7 95.4 (98.8 projected, +2.6) 11.16
2022.11 123.4 120.7 77.6 (101.8 projected, +3.0) 9.33
2022.12 147.9 143.4 113.1 (106.6 projected, +4.8) 10.99
2023.01 182.4 176.6 143.6 (112.6 projected, +6.0) 8.73
2023.02 167.2 163.2 110.9 (117.7 projected, +5.1) 14.48
(current
SC25 peak)
2023.03 157.2 155.6 122.6 (120.8 projected, +3.1) 14.5
2023.04 126.1 (1)   2.6 (2A) / 39 (2B) / 135.3 (2C) (126.2 projected, +5.4) (13.6)
2023.05       (132.0 projected, +5.8)  
2023.06       (135.2 projected, +3.2)  
2023.07       (134.7 projected, -0.5)  
2023.08       (135.7 projected, +1.0)  
2023.09       (139.2 projected, +3.5)  
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.