Earth-facing filament eruption produces M1.7 solar flare and strong CME

An Earth-facing filament near Active Region 3283 erupted at 18:12 UTC on April 21, 2023, producing an M1.7 solar flare and a strong coronal mass ejection (CME).

A Type II Radio Emission with an estimated velocity of 580 km/s was registered at 17:56 UTC, suggesting a CME is associated with a flare event.

In addition, a Type IV Radio Emission was detected at 17:59 UTC. Type IV emissions occur in association with major eruptions on the sun and are typically associated with strong CMEs and solar radiation storms.

The impact is expected within 48 to 72 hours.

Other than this, solar activity was at low levels over the past 24 hours and is expected to remain low through April 23, with a 35% chance for M-class and 1% for X-class flares.

There was little indication in solar wind data from the DSCOVR and ACE satellites that the partial halo CME produced on April 16 had arrived. This CME, which is traveling much slower than the background solar wind, is now forecast to arrive sometime today or early tomorrow.

A negative polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) is expected to rotate into a geoeffective position late on Aprile 22 with effects lasting through April 23.

G1 – Minor storm levels anticipated from the aforementioned partial halo CME now appear increasingly unlikely. With the anticipated arrival of a fast wind associated with a coronal hole, there is a chance (35%) of active conditions and a slight chance (15%) of minor storm conditions.

Update

April 22, 20:27 UTC

SOHO LASCO imagery shows a full-halo CME signature beginning after 18:12 UTC on April 21. Initial model runs indicated a CME arrival either late on April 23 or early April 24.

The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels until the arrival of the CME. G1 – Minor storm levels are likely with the onset of CME activity followed by G1 – Minor to G2 -Moderate geomagnetic storm conditions on April 24 with the CME passage.

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Featured image: Filament eruption on April 21, 2023. Credit: NASA SDO/AIA 304, HelioViewer, The Watchers