Space Weather
Space Weather
Space weather describes changing environmental conditions in near-Earth space. Magnetic fields, radiation, particles and matter, which have been ejected from the Sun, can interact with the Earth’s upper atmosphere and surrounding magnetic field to produce a variety of effects.
Space weather notifications
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Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
The aurora is expected to be at mostly background levels, as ongoing fast solar winds ease. No other enhancements are currently forecast.
Southern Hemisphere
The aurora is expected to be at mostly background levels, as ongoing fast solar winds ease. No other enhancements are currently forecast.
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Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Increasing chance of Moderate flares.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Low, with no significant solar flares observed and only one very small unnumbered spot emerging on the northeast disc. However an area of brighter magnetic looping become evident from over the southeast limb, perhaps indicating a region to soon move over the southeast horizon.
No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed in available imagery.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds were indicated of the erratically easing fast winds from a coronal hole. Wind speeds were initially Strong at 600-650 km/s, and declined to be Elevated at around 550km/s. Total Interplanetary Magnetic Field strength was weak with the north-south component also weak and variable in direction. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet to Active (Kp 2-4).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (High energy protons) was at Background.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low activity is expected to continue, however the potential for regions to move onto the disc from over the east limb brings an increasing chance of Moderate class flares.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: There are no Earth-directed CMEs. Solar winds are currently Elevated due to the easing fast winds and expected to gradually and erratically decline towards Background by day 4 (28 Feb). Geomagnetic activity is expected to be Quiet to Unsettled (Kp 2-3) with a chance of isolated Active (Kp4) intervals, mainly day 1 (25 Feb).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles is expected to remain at Background.
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Solar imagery
SDO AIA-193
This channel highlights the outer atmosphere of the Sun - called the corona - as well as hot flare plasma. Hot active regions, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections will appear bright here. The dark areas - called coronal holes - are places where very little radiation is emitted, yet are the main source of solar wind particles.
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SDO AIA-304
This channel is especially good at showing areas where cooler dense plumes of plasma (filaments and prominences) are located above the visible surface of the Sun. Many of these features either can't be seen or appear as dark lines in the other channels. The bright areas show places where the plasma has a high density.
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