Solar Activity Report for 9/28/03
- The solar wind speed has dropped off rather rapidly now that the Earth
has exited the most recent high speed solar wind stream, and all is
quiet tonight. However, activity could pick up again in 24 to 48
hours, potentially for a couple of reasons. First of all, a small
coronal hole has rotated into view. While it is located a bit north
of the solar equator, it should be close enough to send a few high
speed solar wind gusts our way on the 29th or 30th. The second reason
could be sunspot region 464. It now spans 15 Earth-diameters end to
end, and has grown in magnetic complexity. An M-class flare from this
sunspot region is a possibility.
The current solar and geomagnetic conditions are :
NOAA sunspot number : 139
SFI : 137
A index : 3
K index : 2
Solar wind speed : 336.2 km/sec
Solar wind density : 4.4 protons/cc
Solar wind pressure : 0.7 nPa
IMF : 2.3 nT
IMF Orientation : 1.5 nT South
Conditions for the last 24 hours :
No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours.
Forecast for the next 24 hours :
No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours.
Solar activity forecast :
Solar activity is expected to be low to moderate. Region 464 has
become more complex and may produce C- and M-class flares.
Geomagnetic activity forecast :
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled throughout
Recent significant solar flare activity :