[Ips-dsgr] IPS Daily Report - 31 March 01

rwc rwc at ips.gov.au
Sun Apr 1 09:40:48 EST 2001


SUBJ: IPS DAILY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT
ISSUED AT 31/2330Z MARCH 2001 BY IPS RADIO AND SPACE SERVICES
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE
SUMMARY FOR 31 MARCH AND FORECAST FOR 01 APRIL - 03 APRIL
STATUS INDICATORS SOL:** YELLOW **   MAG:** RED **     ION: ** RED **
-----------------------------------------------------------
1A. SOLAR SUMMARY
Activity 31 Mar:  Moderate

Flares    Max     Fadeout    Freq.  Sectors
  M2.1    1113UT  possible   lower  European

Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number for 31 Mar: 246/196

GOES satellite data for 30 Mar
       Daily Proton Fluence >1 MeV:   2.7E+07
       Daily Proton Fluence >10 MeV:  2.1E+06
       Daily Electron Fluence >2 MeV: 5.20E+06 (normal)
       X-ray background: C3.4
Fluence (flux accumulation over 24hrs)/ cm2-ster-day.

1B. SOLAR FORECAST
             01 Apr             02 Apr             03 Apr
Activity     Moderate to high   Moderate to high   Moderate to high
Fadeouts     Probable           Probable           Probable
10.7cm/SSN   240/189            230/180            220/170
COMMENT: A strong shock was observed in the solar wind at 0022UT. 
A possible brief magnetopause crossing of geosynchronous orbit 
may have occurred with shock arrival. Solar wind speed fluctuated 
between 600-700km/sec for most of the UT day following shock. 
The north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field 
was strongly southward during interval 04-08UT and 14-18UT. Solar 
wind speed remains elevated at 700km/sec at time of issue of 
this report. Further flares and fadeouts likely from the large 
solar region, which will rotate off disk around 4 Apr. 
-----------------------------------------------------------
2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY
Geomagnetic field for Australian Region 31 Mar: Severe storm levels. 

Estimated Indices 31 Mar :  A   K           
   Australian Region      118   7775 6777
      Darwin              105   7775 5677
      Townsville          102   7774 5677
      Learmonth            92   7665 6677
      Canberra            138   6885 6776
      Hobart              168   678- -876
    
Observed Regional daily pc3 Indices 31 MAR : 
      Darwin              174   (Severe storm)
      Townsville           87   (Minor storm)
      Learmonth           154   (Severe storm)
      Canberra             NA
      Hobart               NA

Estimated AFr/Ap Indices 31 Mar : A 
           Fredericksburg       140
           Planetary            150                         

Observed AFr/Ap Indices 30 Mar :  A   K
           Fredericksburg         8
           Planetary             10   1223 3333     

2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST 
Date      Ap    Conditions
01 Apr    40    Active to minor storm, chance of major storm periods. 
02 Apr    20    Active 
03 Apr    13    Unsettled 
COMMENT: IPS Geomagnetic Warning 9 was issued on 30 March and 
is current for interval 30 March to 1 April. A sudden impulse 
of 75nT was observed at 0051UT. Severe storm conditions followed 
impulse. Aurora was sighted at mid latitudes, with sightings at 
Canberra and Wollongong. Geomagnetic storm activity is expected 
to decline over 01 Apr, with the chance of further major storm 
periods during local night hours tonight due to sustained high 
solar wind speed conditions. 
-----------------------------------------------------------
3A. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION SUMMARY
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
31 Mar      Normal-fair    Fair-poor      Poor           
PCA Event : Began at 1715UT 29/03, Ended at 0825UT 31/03.

3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
01 Apr      Fair           Fair-poor      Poor          
02 Apr      Fair-normal    Fair           Poor-fair     
03 Apr      Normal         Normal         Normal-fair   
COMMENT: HF conditions were very poor over during local night 
hours at mid to high latitudes. Polar region HF comms unusable
at times during the past 24 hours. Continued strongly degraded conditions 
expected for next 24 hours. 
-----------------------------------------------------------
4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY
Date   T index
31 Mar   171

Observed Australian Regional MUFs
   Equatorial PNG Region:
      Near predicted monthly values during local day,
      Depressed by 15% during local night.
      Enhanced by 15% after local dawn.
   Northern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values.
   Southern Australian and New Zealand Region:
      Near predicted monthly values during local day,
      Depressed by 35% during local night.
      Depressed by 50% after local dawn.
   Antarctic Region (Casey/Scott Base):
      Near predicted monthly values over the UT day.
      Spread F and strong absorption observed.


Predicted Monthly T index for March: 115

4B. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC FORECAST
Date   T index  MUFs
Mid to high latitudes:
01 Apr    30    depressed 20 to 40%/near predicted monthly values 
Low latitudes:
01 Apr   120    near normal, may become depressed.
02 Apr   100    depressed 10 to 15%/near predicted monthly values 
03 Apr   140    Near predicted monthly values 
COMMENT: IPS HF Communications Warning 15 was issued on 28 March 
and is current for interval 30 March to 1 April. Strong ionospheric
storm depression response observed from stations south of Brisbane.
At time of issue of this report Vanimo, Darwin and Townsville MUFs
were near normal, communicators operating within low latitudes can
continue to use a T index of around 120. However, they should be
ready to use lower frequencies than normal if low latutude
station eventually respond to geomagnetic activity. Southern
region communicators (mid to high latitudes) can expect very
depressed and degraded conditions.

IPS Radio and Space Services      | email: asfc at ips.gov.au
PO Box 1386                       | WWW: http://www.ips.gov.au/asfc
Haymarket NSW 1240  AUSTRALIA     | FTP: ftp://ftp.ips.gov.au/users/asfc/ 
tel: +61 2 9213 8010              | fax: +61 2 9213 8060 




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