Geomagnetic storm in progress!
UPDATE (2011-10-25, 14:10):
Many observers, especially in the deep south, commented on the pure red color of the lights they saw. These rare all-red auroras sometimes appear during intense geomagnetic storms. They occur some 300 to 500 km above Earth’s surface and are not yet fully understood.
The storm is subsiding now. Nevertheless, high-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras as Earth’s magnetic field continues to reverberate from the CME impact. (SpaceWeather)
Solar wind
speed: 437.8 km/sec
density: 0.9 protons/cm3
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 145 sfu
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 3 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 7 strong
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 14.8 nT
Bz: 11.1 nT north
UPDATE (2011-10-25, 07:00 UTC):
According to analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, the impact caused a strong compression of Earth’s magnetic field, allowing solar wind to penetrate all the way down to geosynchronous orbit for a brief period between 19:06 UT and 19:11 UT. Earth-orbiting spacecraft could have been directly exposed to solar wind plasma during that time.
High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras as Earth’s magnetic field continues to reverberate from the CME impact. The best time to look is usually during the hours around local midnight.
Solar wind
speed: 503.0 km/sec
density: 2.9 protons/cm3
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 156 sfu
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 6 storm
24-hr max: Kp= 7 strong
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 22.8 nT
Bz: 5.5 nT north
Northern Lights have spilled across the Canadian border into the contiguous USA. Sighting reports have come from as far south as Arkansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Mexico, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Colorado, and central California. The display was caused by the CME impact described below. (SpaceWeather)
3-day Solar-Geophysical Forecast issued Oct 24 22:00 UTC
Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be low with a slight chance for isolated M-class activity. Regions 1324 (N12W13) and 1330 (N08E45) are the most likely for moderate level activity.
Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels, with isolated active periods on day one (25 October), due to lingering effects of the 24 October CME passage. By day two (26 October), the field is expected to mostly quiet with isolated unsettled periods returning to mostly quiet on day three (27 October).
Strong geomagnetic storming reaching close to the G3 Level took place at high latitudes. Visible Aurorais also being seen in many locations in the upper parts of the United States and Canada. I was lucky enough to capture this event in my backyard and I have shared some images below.
VHF Aurora: Strong Aurora signals have been spotted and heard on both 6m and 2m here in the northern parts of North America. For a few hours, the magic band (6m) was sounding more like 20m… except all the signals had the aurora tone. (SolarHam)
The Coronal Mass Ejection observed Saturday morning arrived earlier today (Monday, EDT and GMT), about 8 hours earlier than model guidance suggested. Significant space weather is not expected. Early phases of the event have reached the G1 level, but that should be close to the peak level seen in this event. (SWPC)
Space Weather Message Code: WARK05
Serial Number: 734
Issue Time: 2011 Oct 25 0549 UTCEXTENDED WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 5 expected
Extension to Serial Number: 733
Valid From: 2011 Oct 24 2305 UTC
Now Valid Until: 2011 Oct 25 0900 UTC
Warning Condition: Persistence
October 24, 2011.
A coronal mass ejection (CME) struck Earth’s magnetic field today, Oct. 24th, at approximately 1800 UT (02:00 pm EDT) setting the stage for a possible geomagnetic storm. Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab say the CME impact caused a strong compression of Earth’s magnetic field, allowing the solar wind to penetrate all the way down to geosyncronous orbit for a brief period between 19:06 UT and 19:11 UT. Earth-orbiting spacecraft could have been directly exposed to solar wind plasma during that time. (SpaceWeather)
Solar wind
speed: 507.4 km/sec
density: 13.2 protons/cm3
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 156 sfu
Now: Kp= 5 storm
24-hr max: Kp= 5 storm
Strong ground currents have been detected in Norway.
Just before 18:00 UTC Monday a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) swept past the Ace Spacecraft and a Sudden Geomagnetic Impulse was detected shortly after. The solar wind is currently blowing past 500 km/s. Minor geomagnetic storming reaching the G1 Level is now taking place at very high latitudes. (SolarHam)
The Sun is trying, but it’s only managing to throw some weak stuff Earth’s way. One coronal mass ejection (CME) off the Sun’s west limb on Saturday Oct 22 (EDT and GMT) caused a small increase in high energy protons at Earth, just enough to cross the S1 threshold for a short period of time. Another CME looks like it’s going to brush by Earth on Tuesday (EDT and GMT), giving us at best very weak geomagnetic storm activity, not expected to hit even the G1 level. You can see the results of the WSA-Enlil model run for the CME that’s going to brush by Earth here. Moderate solar flare activity is possible for the next few days. (SWPC Report 2011-10-24, 14:26)
Does this mean the earth’s magnetoshphere is damaged or lessened by this event?
It means that Earth’s magnetic field is brushed with coronal mass ejection (CME). Magnetic field is disturbed with solar winds that compress our magnetic field. This interaction cause an increase in movement of plasma through the magnetosphere – increased electric fields inside the magnetosphere and an increase in electric current in the magnetosphere and ionosphere.It could disrupt navigation by magnetic compass and auroral displays at much lower latitudes than normal. With stronger solar winds we see brightfull auroras around our poles. Intense solar flares release very-high-energy particles that can cause radiation poisoning to humans (and mammals in general) in the same way as low-energy radiation from nuclear blasts. But it should be very strong, what we didn’t see by now.