M2.8 solar flare peaked at 19:18 UTC

m2-8-solar-flare-peaked-at-1918-utc

Region 1513 (N16E03) produced an M2.8 solar flare on July 01, 2012 at 19:18 UTC.

Region 1513 did not show any significant growth or decay during the period of June 31 – July 1. Region 1515 (S17E17) continued to grow in areal coverage and is now 850 millionths. New Region 1517 (N19E26) was numbered overnight.

Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be moderate with isolated M-class flares likely for the next three days (02-04 July).

Geophysical Activity Summary 30/21:00 to 01/21:00 UTC: The geomagnetic field was unsettled to active during the past 24 hours due to coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) effects. Minor storm periods were observed at high latitudes along with an isolated major storm period from 01/0900-1200Z. Solar wind speeds were steady at approximately 650 km/s with a total field strength of 5 nT throughout the period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels during the period.

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

Auroras are dancing around the poles in response to a high-speed solar wind stream buffeting Earth’s magnetic field. Stefan Christmann sends this picture from icy Atka Bay in Antarctica:
Solar flux 133 and estimated planetary A-index 19. The estimated planetary K-index at 2100 UTC on 01 July was 3.

NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of continued geomagnetic activity as the solar wind continues to blow.

Solar wind
speed: 640.5 km/sec
density: 1.2 protons/cm3

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: M2 1918 UT Jul01
24-hr: M2 1918 UT Jul01

The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 124 sfu

Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 3 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 4 unsettled

Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal5.7 nT
Bz1.8 nT north 

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3 Comments

  1. I am just glad to see a news site that actually has interesting news about our earth and not all the hype..girls in short skirts, pretending to banter with these mindless puppets about unimportant subject matter! Thank You!

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