A moderate M1.6 solar flare around Sunspot 1513

Sunspot AR1513 is crackling with impulsive M-class solar flares. A moderate solar flare reaching M1.6 took place at 18:32 UTC Saturday afternoon. The flare was centered around Sunspot 1513. This is second M-class solar flare today.

The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled today with a chance for active levels due to the arrival of a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) in advance of a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS). Field activity is expected to increase to unsettled to active levels on 01-02 July with a chance for minor storm levels due to CH HSS effects.

Sunspots 1513 and 1515 have ‘beta-gamma’ magnetic fields that harbor energy for M-class solar flares.

CURRENT CONDITIONS:

Solar wind
speed: 642.0 km/sec
density: 2.6 protons/cm³

The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 117 sfu

Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 4 unsettled
24-hr max: Kp= 4 unsettled

Interplanetary Mag. Field
B_total: 6.7 nT
B_z: 0.4 nT south