Solar Activity Monitoring

With A Look At Auroral Activity


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Solar X-Ray Geomagnetic Field
Solar X-Ray
Geomagnetic Field

    Solar X-Ray Classifications

Flare Class

 Type of Flare HF Radio Effects Resulting Geomagnetic Storm
Normal Very small None None
Active Small None None
M Class Flare Moderate * Low absorption * Active to Minor
X Class Flare Large * High absorption * Minor to Major
Mega Flare Extreme * Possible blackout * Major to Severe

 

  • *Conditions cited if Earth is in trajectory of flare emissions
  • Flare class further rated from 1-9, ex. M1, M2, M3 ... M9
    The larger the number, the larger the flare within that class
  • An X7-X9 is considered a "Grand daddy" flare. Only a few have occurred over the past 30 years, causing total disruption to communications, huge aurora's, power grid failures, etc.
  • Radio and x-ray emissions from a flare effect the Earth for the duration of the solar event, usually 30 minutes or less.
  • Earth is 8 light-minutes from the Sun.

Geomagnetic Field Classifications

STATUS Kp INDEX Ap INDEX GEOMAGNETIC
FIELD CONDITIONS		 HF NOISE AURORA
Quiet 0 0-2 Very Quiet S1-S2 None
1 3-5 Quiet S1-S2 Very Low
2 6-9 Quiet S1-S2 Very Low
3 12-18 Semi-Quiet S2-S3 Low
Unsettled 4 22-32 Unsettled S3-S4 Moderate
Storm! 5 39-56 MINOR Storm S4-S6 High
6 67-94 MAJOR Storm S6-S9 Very High
7 111-154 SEVERE Storm S9+ Very High
8 179-236 SEVERE Storm Blackout Extreme
9 300-400 EXTREMELY SEVERE Blackout Extreme

 

Kp
Planetary K-index, averaged over past 3 hours and tends to be a measure of current conditions
Ap
Planetary A-index, 24-hour average and represents overall geomagnetic field conditions for the UTC day
HF Noise
Approximate "S-meter" noise level <10 MHz
Aurora
Approximate level of auroral activity
  • High conditions usually extends to: Latitude 45 deg. 
  • Very High conditions extends to about: Latitude 35 deg. 
  • Extreme conditions can extend to below: Latitude 35 deg.
Solar Wind
averages 350-450 km/sec and density <10 p/cm^3
>500 km/sec or high density can trigger geomagnetic activity
Shock Wave
from a solar flare or Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) arrives at the Earth about 55 hours after the solar event.

 

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