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Thursday, March 28, 2024 16:08:27

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NOAA Scales mini

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Space Weather Conditions
24-Hour Observed Maximums
R
no data
S
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G
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Latest Observed
R
no data
S
no data
G
no data
R1-R2 --
R3-R5 --
S1 or greater --
G
no data
R1-R2 --
R3-R5 --
S1 or greater --
G
no data
R1-R2 --
R3-R5 --
S1 or greater --
G
no data
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R
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S
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Current Space Weather Conditions
R1 (Minor) Radio Blackout Impacts
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HF Radio: Weak or minor degradation of HF radio communication on sunlit side, occasional loss of radio contact.
Navigation: Low-frequency navigation signals degraded for brief intervals.
More about the NOAA Space Weather Scales

Region 12192 Biggest in 2 Solar Cycles (Updated)

Region 12192 Biggest in 2 Solar Cycles (Updated)
published: Thursday, October 30, 2014 14:23 UTC
Active Region 12192 is the largest region since November 18, 1990, a full two solar cycles ago.  To see what we might expect, we took a look back at the region from 1990 (Region 6368).  At its largest, region 6368 was about 10% larger than region 12192.  During its entire transit across the Earth facing side of the Sun, region 6368 did not produce any R3 or larger Radio Blackouts (X-class flares).  Already, region 12192 has surpassed that region in term of production of significant solar flares.  The full tally, keeping in mind that region 12192 has about 3 more days before rotating to the far side of the sun, is given in the table below.  Remarkably, Region 12192 has yet to produce any radiation storms or significant Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs).  As this region approaches the limb, the threat of Earth-directed CMEs is in decline.  However, this region is still in a favorable position for production of radiation storms should subsequent eruptions continue. 

 

Comparing two large active regions
  Region 6368 (1990) Region 12192 (2014)*
R3-R5 (X-class) flares 0 6
R1-R2 (M-class) flares 14 24
(C-class) flares 96 67

*Through mid-day October 28.

 

Image courtesy of the NASA SDO HMI team