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Jan 19, 2010 NOAA Press Release: NOAA Scientist Finds Clue to Predicting Solar Flares

GOES 14 Primary Satellite for XRS data
No Secondary Satellite for X-rays or Electrons and Protons

December 1, 2009 -- The GOES 10 satellite was decommissioned. GOES 14 became the Primary SWPC GOES X-ray Satellite.  Since the XRS data ceased from GOES 11 and GOES 12, there has been no Secondary SWPC GOES X-ray Satellite. There are minor differences in the appearance of the GOES 14 XRS data and at the lowest flux levels.

There is no Secondary Satellite for Electrons and Protons. 

Changes to the GOES XRS Data 

The GOES 10 and GOES 14 XRS instruments have very different electronics and therefore, there are some qualitative changes in the appearance of the data.  The main difference is the level of noise in the data at the lowest values.  When the background levels are low (less than 2E-7 W/m2 or A2.0), the GOES 10 data looked flat and the steps were very abrupt.   At these low flux levels, the GOES 14 data is quite noisy.  As the x-ray flux levels rise up above 2E-7, the noise decreases and the plots look very similar to the GOES 10 data. 

Global D-Region Absorption
Replaces original D-region Absorption Prediction product

November 18, 2009 -- the Global D-Region Absorption Prediction product replaced the original D-region Absorption Prediction product. The original D-region web page and products were developed at the then Space Environment Center in 2000.

SWPC Outage Complete

July 16, 2009 -- SWPC systems were down for approximately 3 hours for a network system upgrade.

US-TEC data outage

May 20-26, 2009 the US-TEC model output was not on the SWPC web site due to technical difficulties. This problem has been fixed as of 1800 UTC, May 26.

Boulder Magnetometer Data Lists were Discontinued April 15, 2009

On April 15, 2009 the USGS, an acknowledged center of expertise for geomagnetism, assumed full responsibility for the Boulder magnetometer and its data. SWPC will continue to be a user of that data, but will no longer be the point of distribution of raw magnetometer data.  Therefore, the Boulder magnetometer DATA LISTS will no longer be available via SWPC.  However, the SWPC Boulder magnetometer web page will continue unchanged.

Carol Finn, USGS Geomagnetism Group Leader, (cafinn @ usgs.gov) is the point of contact for interested parties. Please direct any comments or questions to her.