~Space Weather Update~ Solar Wind, and Incoming CME~ Earth Directed [1]
SOLAR WIND: Earth is inside a fast-moving stream of solar wind that is putting pressure on our planet's magnetosphere. A gust or shift in the wind's magnetic polarity could spark a geomagnetic storm. NOAA forecasters estimate a 25% chance that this could happen on August 18th. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. Aurora alerts: text [2], voice [3].
INCOMING CME: A CME might be heading for Earth. It was propelled into space by a double-blast of M-class [4] solar flares (M3 and M1) on August 17th around 1830 UT. SOHO (the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) caught the CME emerging from the blast site, sunspot AR1818:
[5]
The expanding cloud is not squarely Earth-directed. If it hits our planet's magnetic field, the blow will probably be a glancing one. Estimated time of arrival: August 19th or 20th. Stay tuned for a more precise forecast later today. Solar flare alerts: text [2], voice [3].
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Solar wind
speed: 550.6 km/sec
density: 0.5 protons/cm3
explanation [6] | more data [7]
Updated: Today at 1517 UT
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X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C1 1131 UT Aug18
24-hr: C1 1131 UT Aug18
explanation [8] | more data [9]
Updated: Today at: 1500 UT
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Daily Sun: 18 Aug 13
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[10]
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Sunspot AR1818 has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong flares. Credit: SDO/HMI
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Sunspot number: 96
What is the sunspot number? [11]
Updated 18 Aug 2013
Spotless Days
Current Stretch: 0 days
2013 total: 0 days (0%)
2012 total: 0 days (0%)
2011 total: 2 days (<1%)
2010 total: 51 days (14%)
2009 total: 260 days (71%)
Since 2004: 821 days
Typical Solar Min: 486 days
Update 18 Aug 2013
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 125 sfu
explanation [12] | more data [13]
Updated 18 Aug 2013
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Current Auroral Oval:
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[14] |
Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/POES
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Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 2 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 2 quiet
explanation [15] | more data [16]
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Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 2.7 nT
Bz: 2.0 nT north
explanation [17] | more data [18]
Updated: Today at 1517 UT
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Coronal Holes: 18 Aug 13
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[19]
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Earth is inside a stream of solar wind flowing from this coronal hole. Credit: SDO/AIA.