The NW7US Beacon
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Watch it now: an hour-long exploration of our Sun — you know, that star that I am so passionate about.
The Sun contains 99.9 percent of all the matter in our solar system. It sheds hot plasma at nearly a million miles per hour. The temperature at its core is a staggering 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. It convulses, it blazes, it sings. You know it as the Sun.
Scientists know it as one of the most amazing physics laboratories in the universe. Now, with the help of new spacecraft and Earth-based telescopes, scientists are seeing the Sun as they never have before and even recreating what happens at its very center in labs here on Earth. Their work will help us understand aspects of the Sun that have puzzled scientists for decades. But more critically, it may help us predict and track solar storms that have the power to zap our power grid, shut down telecommunications, and ground global air travel for days, weeks, or even longer. Such storms have happened before—but never in the modern era of satellite communication. “Secrets of the Sun” by NOVA PBS reveals a bright new dawn in our understanding of our nearest star—one that might help keep our planet from going dark.
Please visit: http://SunSpotWatch.com
If you really like it, please purchase the DVD so you can have your own HD copy. Here’s the purchase link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/secrets-sun.html
(I don’t make any money off of this. I just support PBS).
(Source: sunspotwatch.com)
On 23 January 2012, a magnitude M8.7 (M9-class) X-ray flare erupted in NOAA Active Sunspot Region (AR) 1402. The long-duration flare peaked at 0359 UTC. This flare triggered a proton event, resulting in an S3 (Strong) Radiation (Proton) Storm and a Polar Cap Absorption (PCA) event over the polar regions.
This PCA event caused a complete radio blackout over high-latitude and polar regions. This results in any trans-polar radio paths to become as dead as a rock.
This solar proton radiation storm is the strongest since September, 2005, which was during the last solar sunspot cycle, Solar Cycle 23. An S3-level radiation storm causes airlines to divert air traffic away from the polar regions. This level of a storm could also cause satellite issues, with GPS and communications being affected. Additionally, those living and working in polar regions must take precautions not to be exposed to this radiation.
At the end of the video, you will see the Coronal Mass Ejection that was released by this flare. This is a fast-moving CME and it is expected to arrive at Earth on January 24, 2012, triggering a G1 to G3 level geomagnetic storm.
X-ray flares are huge explosive releases of energy, including X-ray and light energy. This light and X-ray energy reaches Earth at the speed of light—eight minutes later. When it reaches Earth, it causes the ionosphere to become highly energized, so much so that the D-region (the lowest region) absorbs shortwave, and medium wave, frequencies, blocking them from going any further (and being refracted or propagated long distances around the world).
Credit: NASA SDO / AIA / LASCO / STEREO
(Source: youtube.com)
As predicted active area 1339 unleashed a M-class solar flare on November 2, with a peak in X-ray emission.
The movie shows the flare in the 131 Angstrom wavelength and shows the plasma in the corona with temperatures up to about 15 Million Kelvin! (these high temperatures are observed in solar flares) and occur when Iron is super heated, having almost all of its electrons stripped away.
(Source: youtube.com)
Another Sunspot, Following Active Sunspot Region 1302…
Though it appears smaller when compared with the highly active sunspot region, NOAA 11302 (or, just 1302), there is a ‘new’ sunspot region just now rotating into view on the solar northeastern limb. This will add to the overall solar activity and EUV (extreme ultraviolet) levels.
The high 10.7-cm radio flux of 190, reported for September 24, 2011, was likely enhanced by all of the back-to-back x-ray flare activity that occurred throughout September 24th. The flux at the official recording site has since fallen back to the upper 160s. However, the story is not yet over.
The active region, 1302, is not yet fully facing Earth. And, we have more sunspots coming into view, possibly. At least, we have this new, smaller one, which will add to the existing source of the ionizing EUV that contributes to the propagation of radio waves via the F2-region of the ionosphere.
Remember, the 10.7-cm radio flux is used to give us a general idea of the level of solar activity that affects the ionosphere. The higher the 10.7-cm radio flux, the ‘better’ the ionospheric F2 propagation. A better, more direct measure is actually the Background X-ray (1 to 8 Angstroms) level. And, we know that those levels are now in the C-class range, for a number of days, now. That’s pretty much a first, for this new Cycle 24. We’ve had moments of C-class background x-ray energy, but not consistently, as we’re now having.
Here’s the Background X-ray Level (1-8 Angstroms), Last Six Days: Sept 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, and 19 2011: C1.6, C1.3, C1.4, C1.0, B7.1, B8.0.
As you can see, the background x-ray level for September 24th was the highest of the last six days. This is the true indication of how energized is the ionosphere.
More about Background X-rays
The hard X-ray energy present from the wavelengths of 1 to 8 Angstroms provide the most effective ionizing energy throughout all of the ionospheric layers in our atmosphere. The GEOS satellites measure these wavelengths and the resulting measurements are reported as the ‘background X-ray level’ throughout the day. A daily average is reported, as well.
Just like X-ray flares, the background hard X-ray level is measured in watts per square meter (W/m2), reported using the categories, A, B, C, M, and X. These letters are multipliers; each class has a peak flux ten times greater than the preceding one. Within a class there is a linear scale from 1 to 9.
If one records the daily background X-ray levels for the course of a sunspot cycle, one would discover that the background X-ray levels remained at the A class level during the sunspot cycle minumum. During the rise and fall of a solar cycle, the background X-ray energy levels remained mostly in the B range. During peak solar cycle periods, the background energy reached the C and sometimes even M levels.
Armed with this information, can we discover any clues as to the current status of Sunspot Cycle 24? Below is a graph plotting the background hard X-ray energy reported by the GEOS satellites since the end of Sunspot Cycle 22. Clearly, we see a noticeable rise in Cycle 24 activity. We’re seeing the energy mostly in the B level more often, supporting the view that Cycle 24 is alive and moving along toward an eventual sunspot cycle peak in several years.
Overall, the monthly average background ‘hard’ X-ray level is rising (as seen by the following plot), showing a change from deep solar cycle minimum. We are certainly in the rising phase of Sunspot Cycle 24. While it has been a slow up-tick over the last eighteen months, I expect to see a more rapid rise during mid to late 2011.
Back to this weekend’s high solar activity…
So, even if we see the 10.7-cm flux level fall a bit from this new record high of 190, if the background x-ray level stays in the C-class range as I expect that it will, plan on enjoying higher F2-region Maximum Usable Frequencies (MUFs) on most HF (high frequency, or shortwave) propagation paths. Combine that with the seasonal enhancement for long-range DX, and we’re in for a great season. That is, when we’re not dodging the momentary radio blackouts during those solar x-ray flares, or dealing with the periodic geomagnetic storms that accompany the coronal mass ejections sometimes triggered by these flares. That’s all “par for the course” during these excellent days of high solar activity—the good with the bad. I’ll take it all. Happy DXing!
73 de NW7US
New sunspots are rotating into view, today in the southeastern sector of our local star. This adds to the sunspot count, and will help raise the overall solar energy levels (background X-ray and 10.7-cm radio flux). This in turn should raise the ionospheric energy level, thereby improving shortwave propagation to some degree. However, there is a recurring coronal hole that may elevate the geomagnetic activity. If so, it will counter the improvements by degrading the ionospheric conditions, over the next 48 hours.
A nicely spotted Sun, today. Solar activity, however, is low, with only C-class flares. Sunspot count is near 100 (97, yesterday).
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