Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins


Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2010 Mar 23 2051 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact: www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
15 - 21 March 2010

Solar activity was very low. This week’s activity consisted of numerous B-class flares, a few reaching the upper B-levels. Of note was a B7/Sf at 2308 UTC on 18 March from Region 1054 (N14, L=151, class/area Eai/240 on 15 March) that was associated with a type II radio sweep and a slow CME over the west limb. Region 1054 dominated the disk early in the week but was generally decaying and rotated off the limb quietly on 21 March. New Region 1056 (N18, L=065, class/area Csi/70 on 21 March) emerged on 17 March and showed slow growth. Region 1056 began to produce B-level activity on 20-21 March. A fast CME was observed off the west limb in LASCO C3 imagery beginning at 0418 UTC on 20 March but appeared to be backsided.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels at the beginning of the week but showed a downward trend, with peaks at moderate levels on 16-17 March, and a return to normal background levels on 18 March. Normal background levels prevailed through the remainder of the period.

The geomagnetic field began the period at quiet levels. An increase to quiet to unsettled levels was observed on 17 March, accompanied by an active period from 0300-0600 UTC at high latitudes. Mostly quiet levels prevailed for 18-19 March. Another increase to generally quiet to unsettled levels occurred on 20 March with isolated active conditions at some stations from 0600-0900 UTC. Quiet conditions returned for 21 March. Solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft showed the onset of a positive polarity high speed stream around 1200 UTC on 16 March as solar wind speed began to increase. Peak speeds around 530 km/s were observed at about 1100 UTC on 17 March, after which the solar wind speed began to decline. A second, weaker increase was seen to begin on 20 March which reached a maximum of about 430 km/s at 1600 UTC on 20 March and declined thereafter.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
24 March - 19 April 2010

Solar activity is expected to be very low with possible isolated periods of low levels during the forecast period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal levels through most of the period. However, moderate to high flux levels are possible during 08-11 April and 14-16 April.

The geomagnetic field is expected be predominantly quiet for 24 March - 06 April. An increase to unsettled levels with a chance for isolated active periods is possible on 07-08 April due to a recurrent high-speed stream. Quiet conditions are expected to prevail for the remainder of the interval from 09-19 April.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2010 Mar 23 2051 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact: www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2010 Mar 23
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2010 Mar 24 82 5 2
2010 Mar 25 83 5 2
2010 Mar 26 83 5 2
2010 Mar 27 84 5 2
2010 Mar 28 85 5 2
2010 Mar 29 85 5 2
2010 Mar 30 85 5 2
2010 Mar 31 85 5 2
2010 Apr 01 85 5 2
2010 Apr 02 85 5 2
2010 Apr 03 85 5 2
2010 Apr 04 88 5 2
2010 Apr 05 88 5 2
2010 Apr 06 88 5 2
2010 Apr 07 88 8 3
2010 Apr 08 88 8 3
2010 Apr 09 88 5 2
2010 Apr 10 88 5 2
2010 Apr 11 85 5 2
2010 Apr 12 85 5 2
2010 Apr 13 85 5 2
2010 Apr 14 85 5 2
2010 Apr 15 82 5 2
2010 Apr 16 82 5 2
2010 Apr 17 82 5 2
2010 Apr 18 82 5 2
2010 Apr 19 80 5 2
(NOAA)