Space Weather What is Space Weather? Space weather describes the conditions in space that affect Earth and its technological systems. Space Weather is a consequence of the behaviour of the sun, the nature of Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere, and our location in the solar system. Solar Activity Monitor for the next 24 hours

Solar X-rays: Geomagnetic Field: current   Actual region of solar radiation: Click to enlarge the picture Latest Mauna Loa Image   Click to enlarge the picture Auroral Map Click to enlarge the picture About the Solar X-ray status monitor The X-ray Solar status monitor downloads data periodically from the NOAA Space Environment Centre FTP server. The previous 24 hours of 5 minute Long-wavelength X-ray data from each satellite (GOES 8 and GOES 10) is analyzed, and an appropriate level of activity for the past 24 hours is assigned as follows:  Normal: Solar X-ray flux is quiet                                       (< 1.00e-6 W/m^2)   Active: Solar X-ray flux is active                                      (>= 1.00e-6 W/m^2)   M Class Flare: An M Class flare has occurred                (X-ray flux >= 1.00e-5 W/m^2)   X Class Flare: An X Class flare has occurred                   (X-ray flux >= 1.00e-4 W/m^2)   Mega Flare: An unprecedented X-ray event has occurred (X-ray flux >= 1.00e-3 W/m^2)   About the Geomagnetic Field status monitor The Geomagnetic Field status monitor downloads data periodically from the NOAA Space Environment Centre FTP server. The previous 24 hours of 3 hour Planetary Kp Index data is analyzed and an appropriate level of activity for the past 24 hours is assigned as follows:      Quiet: the Geomagnetic Field is quiet                         (Kp <4)    Active: the Geomagnetic Field has been unsettled     (Kp =4)   Storm: A Geomagnetic Storm has occurred                  (Kp >4)

X-Ray Flux

This plot shows 3-days of 5-minute solar x-ray flux values measured on the SEC primary and secondary GOES satellites.
One low value may appear prior to eclipse periods.

The Earth has a magnetic field that resembles the field of a bar magnet located at centre of the Earth. In Finland the strength of the field is about 51000 nT (nanotesla). Magnetic field is a vector quantity which means that in addition to its strength it is important to know also its direction. The standard measurements of the geomagnetic field determine its geographic north (X), east (Y), and downward (Z) components. In Finland the field is directed almost perpendicularly downwards and thus the Z-component is much larger than the X- and Y-components.
The accompanying magneto gram show the X-, Y-, and Z-components of the magnetic field recorded today at the Nurmijrvi geophysical observatory. At the left side of the magneto grams you can see the nanotesla scale that can be used to estimate the amplitudes of the various in the field components.
Electric currents flowing in the upper atmosphere (in the ionosphere at 100 km altitude) cause continuous variability in the geomagnetic field. During auroral periods the strongest currents flow in the east-west direction causing variation especially in the X-component which typically decreases (i.e. the curve deviates downward).
The strength of the ionospheric currents can be easily estimated if the amplitude of the magnetic field variation is known. According to a rough thumb rule one nanotesla deviation corresponds to a current enhancement of 1000 amperes. Such currents are large when compared e.g. to the few ampere currents of domestic appliances. In Lapland during auroral periods typical measured magnetic deviations are of the order of a few hundreds of nanotesla corresponding to ionospheric currents of a few hundreds of amperes. During the strongest geomagnetic storms, like at the end of October 2003, the ionospheric currents can easily exceed million amperes.

This is a summary of latest plots of space weather data as provided by NOAA/SEC.

Informations by