Tag Archives: Solar eruption

The Sun Online and solar activity. September 9, 2014

There are currently 8 sunspot groups visible. NOAA 2157 seems to be slightly declining and simplifying. NOAA 2158 developed some small spots to the west and south of the main spot. Except for the northern part, this main spot is now completely surrounded by opposite magnetic polarity flux. Both NOAA 2157 and 2158 retained their delta structures. Two C-class flares and 1 M-class flare were recorded. The strongest event was a long duration M4.5 flare peaking at 00:29UT and originating in NOAA 2158. SDO/AIA-imagery indicated post-flare coronal loops, coronal dimming and an EIT-wave. A type II radio-burst with an associated shock speed of 999 km/s was observed. The greater than 10 MeV proton flux, currently still enhanced at 2 pfu, has not increased in response to this flare (so far). The M4.5 flare was associated to a halo CME first observed by SOHO/LASCO on 9 September at 00:06UT, with a plane-of-the-sky speed around 560 km/s . The bulk of the CME is directed away from the Earth (to the northeast), but there’s still a good chance Earth will be impacted by the CME-driven shock. Estimated impact time is 12 September at 03:00UT, with an uncertainty of 12 hours.
There remains a reasonable chance on an M-class flare. The warning condition for a proton event remains in effect.
Solar wind speed was mostly between 350 and 450 km/s, with Bz oscillating between +5 and -5 nT. Geomagnetic conditions were quiet.
Quiet to unsettled geomagnetic conditions are expected for the next three days, possibly modulated by the high speed stream from a coronal hole that passed the central meridian on 5 September. On 10 September, there’s a chance on unsettled conditions with an isolated active period in response to the possible glancing blow from the 6 September CME. On 12 September, the impact of the halo CME related to the M4.5 flare from 9 September may result in active conditions and possibly a brief period of minor
geomagnetic storming.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 09/08/14
Time UT: 16:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

Observatory Sponli

The Sun Online and solar activity. July 21, 2014

Solar activity has been quiet in the last 24 hours with the background X-ray flux steady around the B2 level. Only a couple of minor B flares have occurred. The largest was a B3.4 flare peaking around 8:47 UT associated with the unnumbered active region that is about to turn onto the visible solar disc from behind the East limb. There are currently only three active regions on the solar disc. NOAA AR 2018 and 2020 are stable alpha regions while the beta region 2019 does show signs of further development.
No significant CME’s were reported. Quiet conditions are expected to continue with only a slight chance on flaring at C level. The all quiet alert is presently maintained but this may need to be revised if NOAA AR 2019 continues to grow and depending on the nature of the active region(s) that are turning onto the disc from behind the East limb.Solar wind speed remained at low levels around the 280 km/s, while the interplanetary magnetic field increased to around the 6 nT level with Bz varying and currently reaching levels of around -4nT. Geomagnetic conditions were quiet with local K Dourbes and NOAA Kp in the
0-2 range. Quiet conditions are expected to continue although some influence of a coronal hole high speed stream can possibly cause enhanced solar wind conditions and associated unsettled geomagnetic conditions in the next 24 to 48 hours.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop
Date: 07/21/14
Time UT: 16:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

Observatory Sponli

A Solar Filament Erupts

Magnificent CME Erupts on the Sun - August 31

Image Credit: NASA’s GSFC, SDO AIA Team

What’s happened to our Sun? Nothing very unusual — it just threw a filament. Toward the middle of 2012, a long standing solar filament suddenly erupted into space producing an energetic Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). The filament had been held up for days by the Sun’s ever changing magnetic field and the timing of the eruption was unexpected. Watched closely by the Sun-orbiting Solar Dynamics Observatory, the resulting explosion shot electrons and ions into the Solar System, some of which arrived at Earth three days later and impacted Earth’s magnetosphere, causing visible aurorae. Loops of plasma surrounding an active regioncan be seen above the erupting filament in the ultraviolet image. Over the past week the number of sunspots visible on the Sun unexpectedly dropped to zero, causing speculation that the Sun has now passed a very unusualsolar maximum, the time in the Sun’s 11-year cycle when it is most active.

APOD NASA 20-Jul-14

The Sun Online and solar activity. July 7, 2014

Catania AR 9 (NOAA 2109) produced the strongest flare in the past 24 hours (C4.3 peak at 08:02 UT). This AR together with Catania 6 (NOAA 2108) have potential for M-class flares.Geomagnetic conditions have been quiet and are expected to remain so until the arrival of a fast speed stream from a small coronal hole that will increase the conditions up to active levels on July 9-10.
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Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 07/07/14
Time UT: 16:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

Observatory Sponli

The Sun Online and solar activity. June 24, 2014

A C2.1 flare peaked at 00:29 UT today. It originated behind the limb at Catania 92 (NOAA AR 2092 and 2087) which rotated over the west limb today. A CME seems to be related to this flare, but there is no coronagraph, nor any STEREO-A data (data gap) to confirm, this should not be Earth directed in any case. More flaring activity at the C-class level can be expected from this AR (before it disappears completely from the visible side of the Sun), from Catania 89 and 90 (NOAA AR 2093, even though it has lost its beta gamma configuration) and Catania 92 (NOAA AR 2096) and Catania 93 (NOAA AR 2097), which are growing in size.
A partial halo CME erupted at 06:12 UT (first seen by LASCO-C2, after a data gap), with an angular width of about 100 degrees and speed of 1000 km/s. This event is backsided, the eruption started in the south west of
the the Sun as seen by STEREO-A, the bulk of the material is directed towards the south and it is not expected to arrive to the Earth.A shock was detected at ACE on June 23 at 22:00 UT, it corresponds to the expected glancing blow of the CME from June 19. The speed jumped to 400 km/s while the magnetic field intensity did not reach 10 nT. Therefore, only unsettled geomagnetic conditions occurred. The arrival of the CME from June 20 is expected later on today with possible active to minor storm levels. A glancing blow from the CME on June 21 can be expected tomorrow, causing active conditions at most.
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The Sun Online and solar activity. June 20, 2014

Six sunspot groups were reported by Catania today. Only three C-class flares took place during the past 24 hours, and all of them occurred in the Catania sunspot group 89 (that, together with the Catania sunspot group 90, constitutes the NOAA AR 2093). The strongest flare of this time interval was the C5.0 flare peaking today at 11:20 UT. The flare was accompanied by coronal dimmings and a post-eruption arcade indicating the eruption of a CME. However, no coronagraph data are available at the moment to confirm the CME occurrence. We expect further flaring activity on the C-level, mostly from this sunspot group, with an M-class flare being possible but not very likely. A partial halo CME was detected by SOHO/LASCO on June 19, first appearing in the LASCO C2 field of view at 19:24 UT (first frame after a long data gap). The CME had the angular width of around 190 degrees and projected plane-of-the-sky speed of around 400 km/s. The CME was produced by the eruption of a filament to the north of the Catania sunspot groups 89 and 90 (together constituting the NOAA AR 2093), starting around 14:25 UT as seen by SDO/AIA. The eruption was also accompanied by coronal dimmings and a post-erution arcade. It was followed by a perhaps related C4.0 flare peaking at 19:24 UT in the Catania sunspot group 89. This flare was, in turn, accompanied by a narrow CME first appearing in the LASCO C2 field of view at 19:48 UT. This narrow CME is not expected to arrive at the Earth. An interplanetary disturbance associated with the partial halo CME is expected to arrive at the Earth late on June 23 or early on June 24, most probably only with a glancing blow. It may result in active to perhaps minor storm geomagnetic conditions. The Earth is currently inside a slow (around 430 km/s) solar wind flow with slightly elevated (around 6 nT) interplanetary magnetic field magnitude. The geomagnetic conditions are quiet and are expected to remain so.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 06/20/14
Time UT: 16:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

Observatory Sponli

The Sun Online and solar activity. June 15, 2014

Several C-class and two M-class flares were reported in last 24 hours. The strongest one was the impulsive M1.4 flare which peaked at 19:29 UT on June 14. The flare originated from the active region just behind the east solar limb and was associated with the type II radio burst (indicating the shock wave speed of about 400 km/s). The associated CME was first seen in the SOHO/LASCO C2 field of view at 19:48 UT and had projected plane of the sky speed of about 600 km/s. The angular width of the CME was about 100 degrees and the bulk of the CME mass was directed south-east from the Sun-Earth line, therefore we do not expect this CME to arrive at the Earth. The C9.0 flare (peaked at 20:17 UT) on June 13 which originated from the Catania sunspot group 81 (NOAA AR 2087) was associated with narrow CME first seen in the SOHO/LASCO C2 field of view at 20:36 UT. We expect C-class and possibly also M-class flares in the coming hours.The solar wind speed is still about 400 km/s, and the interplanetary magnetic field magnitude has presently value of about 5 nT. Late today we expect the arrival of the glancing blow from the CME-driven shock wave, associated with a partial halo CME from June 12. The arrival of the fast flow associated with the small low latitude coronal hole (between S20 and S40) which reached the central meridian late on June 12, might be expected early tomorrow (June 16). Arrival of both, CME-driven shock wave and the fast flow is possible but not very probable. The geomagnetic conditions are quiet and expect to remain so in the coming hours.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 30 frames
Date: 06/15/14
Time UT: 16:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

Observatory SPONLI

The Sun Online and solar activity. June 12, 2014

During last 24 hours four M-class flares were reported, and the strongest one was a M2.7 flare which originated from the Catania sunspot group 81 (NOAA AR 2087). The flare peaked at 10:21 UT on June 12 and was possibly associated with the CME (based on SDO/AIA data). More will be reported as soon as coronagraph data become available. The X1.0 flare (peaking at 09:06 UT) on June 11, M3.9 flare (peaking at 21:03 UT) on June 11 and the M2.0 flare (peaking at 04:21 UT) on June 12 were associated with narrow CMEs which will therefore not arrive at the Earth. The faint halo CME first seen in the SOHO LASCO C2 field of view at 14:36 UT, on June 10 had angular width of about 270 degrees. The bulk of the CME mass was directed northward from the Sun-Earth line. Currently available data give no indications about
possible on disc signatures of the CME. We do not expect this CME to arrive at the Earth. The faint partial halo CME first seen in the SOHO LASCO C2 field of view at 18:00 UT, on June 10 had angular width of about 180 degrees and the bulk of the CME mass directed north-east from the Sun-Earth line. From the currently available data it seems that the CME was associated with the flare at E170 as seen from the Earth, and will therefore not arrive at the Earth. We expect C-class, M-class and X-class flares in the coming hours, in particular from the Catania sunspot groups 81, 69 and 76 (NOAA AR 2087, 2080 and 2085, respectively). Due to the position of the Catania sunspot groups 69 and 76 (NOAA AR 2080 and 2085, respectively) on the western solar hemisphere, we maintain the warning condition for a proton event.
The Earth is still inside the fast solar wind (speed of about 500 km/s). The interplanetary magnetic field magnitude is about 4 nT. The geomagnetic conditions are at the moment quiet and expected to remain so in the following hours. The glancing blow associated with the halo CME from June 10 is expected to arrive at the Earth in the morning of June 13, and it might result in active geomagnetic conditions.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 06/12/14
Time UT: 20:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

Observatory SPONLI

The Sun Online and solar activity. April 20, 2014

Twelve active regions were reported by NOAA today. Three of them (NOAA ARs 2034, 2035, and 2036) have beta-gamma configuration of the photospheric magnetic field. These three active regions and four others were responsible for numerous C-class flares yesterday and today. None of them was associated with an Earth-directed CME. The strongest flare of the past 24 hours was the C6.4 flare peaking at 08:13 UT today in the NOAA AR 2032 at the west solar limb. We expect further flaring activity on the C-level,
with a good chance for an M-class event. An interplanetary shock-like structure was detected this morning. ACE recorded jumps of solar wind speed, temperature, and the interplanetary magnetic filed (IMF) magnitude at 10:23 UT. SOHO/CELIAS detected a jump in density at 10:22 UT, but the jump in speed was detected only 20 to 30 minutes later. Therefore, this discontinuity does not seem to be a typical ICME-driven fast forward shock as ACE did not detect a jump in density at all, and jumps in density and
the solar wind speed detected by SOHO/CELIAS were not simultaneous. There is, however, very little doubt that this is a start of an ICME corresponding to the halo CME observed on the Sun on April 18. During the intervals of the strongest IMF magnitude in the post-shock solar wind flow (up to 22 nT), the north-south IMF component Bz was either northward or close to zero. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions (K = 3) were reported by Dourbes and NOAA, and active conditions (K = 4) were reported by IZMIRAN.
Currently the IMF magnitude is around 12 nT and the solar wind speed is around 650 km/s, so minor geomagnetic storm conditions (K = 5) are still possible. After the arrival of the shock-like structure, the proton flux at energies above 10 MeV decreased to values below the threshold of the proton event. The proton flux, however, remains high, and in case of another solar eruption with associated SEPs, the event threshold could be easily crossed. We therefore issue a warning condition for a proton event.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 04/20/14
Time UT: 19:00
Exposure 1/182 sec.

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The Sun Online and solar activity. March 14, 2014

There were six C flares and one M flare on the Sun during the past 24 hours, released by NOAA AR 11996 and 12003. The M1.2 flare was produced by NOAA AR 11996 and peaked at 19:19 UT on March 13. In the next 48 hours, the probability for C flares is very high (above 90%) and for M flares around 50%, mainly from NOAA AR 11996. An X flare is possible but unlikely. LASCO C2 imagery featured a CME starting at 10:00 UT on March 14 in the northeast to southeast. The same CME was spotted on COR2 A and COR2 B images in the northwest to southwest. This CME is most probably associated to a backside
filament eruption, which was observed in EUVI B at about 9:36 UT. Hence, this CME will not be geoeffective.In the past 24 hours, solar wind speed as observed by ACE further rose from about 350 km/s to a plateau of about 520 km/s, while the magnitude of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) varied
between 2 and 10 nT. This is probably the effect of a southern coronal hole high speed stream. A small coronal hole at about 30N passed the central meridian on March 13. It may influence the geomagnetic field on March 17 and 18. In the past 24 hours, quiet geomagnetic levels were registered (K Dourbes between 0 and 2; NOAA Kp between 1 and 3). Quiet to active geomagnetic conditions (K Dourbes < 5) are expected on March 14 under the influence of the high speed stream. Quiet conditions (K Dourbes < 4) are likely on March 15 and 16.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 03/14/14
Time UT: 14:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

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