Todays Solar Flare Activity April 23 2012 Causing Geomagnetic Storm Aurora
Solar Update
Things remain very quiet on the Sun with no noteworthy solar flares to report. Sunspot 1462 is now heading for the southwest limb. A new sunspot may be hiding on the southeast limb and will soon rotate into direct Earth view.
Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 21/2100Z
to 22/2100Z: Solar activity was low. Occasional low-level C-class
flares occurred. Region 1459 (S15W25 - Dki/beta) produced a single
C-class flare and showed signs of gradual decay in its intermediate
portion. Region 1465 (S18E14 - Dai/beta) produced two C-class flares
and showed spot and penumbral development as well as some polarity
mixing in its intermediate portion. New Region 1466 (N12E29 -
Cso/beta) emerged early in the period and gradually grew. No
Earth-directed CMEs were observed during the period.
IB. Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be low
through the period (23 - 25 April) with a chance for an isolated
M-class flare.
IIA. Geophysical Activity Summary 21/2100Z to 22/2100Z:
Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels with a
brief interval of active levels at high latitudes.
IIB. Geophysical Activity Forecast: Geomagnetic field activity is
expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels during days 1 - 2 (23 -
24 April) with a chance for active levels due mainly to a recurrent
coronal hole high-speed stream. Weak CME-passage effects are also
possible on day 1 from the partial-halo CME observed on 19 April.
Field activity is expected to decrease to mostly quiet levels on day
3 (25 April).
Things remain very quiet on the Sun with no noteworthy solar flares to report. Sunspot 1462 is now heading for the southwest limb. A new sunspot may be hiding on the southeast limb and will soon rotate into direct Earth view.
Aurora Watch / G1 Geomagnetic Storm
A incoming CME shock swept past our planet at 03:25 UTC. A geomagnetic sudden impulse of 31 nT was detected by the Boulder, Colorado magnetometer. The ACE Spacecraft did show a solar wind increase to near 400 km/s. Only minor geomagnetic activity resulted at very high latitudes.
Update: A Minor Geomagnetic Storm (Kp=5) is now in progress at high latitudes. This is due to a south tilting component of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field combined with an elevated solar wind speed. Be on the lookout for Aurora if it is dark outside.
ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 5
Threshold Reached: 2012 Apr 23 1937 UTC
Synoptic Period: 1800-2100 UTC
Active Warning: Yes
NOAA Scale: G1 - Minor
Threshold Reached: 2012 Apr 23 1937 UTC
Synoptic Period: 1800-2100 UTC
Active Warning: Yes
NOAA Scale: G1 - Minor
