Minor geomagnetic activity expected at high latitudes
On March 12, 2013 a solar filament in the sun’s northern hemisphere erupted and launched Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). The source of the explosion was active region AR1690. A CME produced by the explosion is traveling north of the Earth line, but part of the CME might hit Earth’s magnetic field on March 15, 2013.
ENLIL CME prediction model – CLICK ON IMAGE TO START AN ANIMATION (Credit: WSA/ENLIL) 
Aurora forecast maps (Credit: POES Aurora Oval/NOAA/SWPC)
CME cloud might deliver a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field, so high-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. NOAA/SWPC forecasters estimate a 65% chance of polar geomagnetic storms. Maximum useable frequencies for High-frequency radio communications may be mildly depressed in polar regions.
Current estimated Planetary K-index (Credit: NOAA/SWPC)
Space Weather Message Code: WARSUD
Serial Number: 126
Issue Time: 2013 Mar 15 0505 UTC
WARNING: Geomagnetic Sudden Impulse expected
Valid From: 2013 Mar 15 0530 UTC
Valid To: 2013 Mar 15 0630 UTC
IP Shock Passage Observed: 2013 Mar 15 0442 UTC
NOAA Space Weather Scale descriptions can be found at
www.swpc.noaa.gov/NOAAscales
Meanwhile, there are nine sunspots on the visible solar disk and four more are going to show in the coming days. None of these sunspots is strongly flaring. Sunspot 1696 developed a Beta-Gamma magnetic configuration and it could produce M-class solar flares in coming days. NOAA/SWPC forecasters estimated 15% chances for M-class solar flares.
SDO’s AIA 304 with marked active sunspots and coronal hole (Credit: SDO/captions by The Watchers)
Solar activity was quiet with only two small C-class flares in the last 24 hours, however activity is expected to be more eruptive in the next 24 hours.
Featured image: Latest SDO’s AIA composite (Credit: SDO)
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