[Ips-dsgr] ASWFC Daily Report - 28 February 23 issued 2331 UT on 28 Feb 2023 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Regional Warning Centre rwc at ips.gov.au
Wed Mar 1 10:31:05 EST 2023


SUBJ: ASWFC DAILY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT
ISSUED AT 2330UT/28 FEBRUARY 2023
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE
SUMMARY FOR 28 FEBRUARY AND FORECAST FOR 01 MARCH - 03 MARCH
STATUS INDICATORS SOL:** YELLOW **   MAG:GREEN     ION: GREEN
ASWAS SCALE DESCRIPTION: https://bit.ly/3lmaMBx
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1A. SOLAR SUMMARY
Activity 28 Feb:  R2

Flares    Max     Fadeout    Freq.  Sectors
  M8.6    1750UT  probable   lower  South American/
                                    Atlantic

Observed 10.7 cm flux/Equivalent Sunspot Number for 28 Feb: 161/115


1B. SOLAR FORECAST
             01 Mar             02 Mar             03 Mar
Activity     R0-R1, chance of R2R0-R1, chance of R2R0-R1, chance of R2
Fadeouts     Possible           Possible           Possible
10.7cm/SSN   160/114            160/114            156/110

COMMENT: Solar activity on UT day 28-Feb was at the R2 level, 
with an M8.6 flare at 28/1750UT produced by AR3234 (N24W33, beta). 
There are currently 5 numbered sunspot regions on the solar disk 
and 1 unnumbered region. AR3234 is the largest and most significant 
sunspot region on the solar disk and produced an M-class flare 
and several C-class flares on 28-Feb, this region showed decay 
in its trailer spots over the 24 hour period. All other numbered 
sunspot regions are either stable or in decay. An unnumbered 
region is present at S15E70 with alpha magnetic characteristics. 
An active sunspot region is visible over the northeast limb at 
around N30, this could be returning region AR3213 which produced 
15 M-class flares when last on the solar disk. This region is 
expected to rotate onto the solar disk on 2-Mar. Solar activity 
is expected to be at R0-R1 levels over 1-3 Mar, with a chance 
of R2. A northwest directed CME was observed from 28/1758UT in 
LASCO and STEREO-A imagery. An eruption is visible at around 
N30W30 from 28/1744UT in H-Alpha and GOES SUVI imagery, associated 
with the M8.6 flare from AR3234 at 28/1750UT. Modelling indicates 
that this CME has a geoeffective component which is expected 
to impact Earth on 4-Mar at 0600UT +/- 12 hours. This CME is 
very slow and only a glancing impact is predicted, so any effects 
are expected to be very mild. Several other CMEs were observed 
over the UT day, but none are considered to be geoeffective. 
The solar wind speed on UT day 28-Feb decreased for the majority 
of the day, with an increase at around 28/1700UT followed by 
another decrease. The wind speed ranged between 548 and 745 km/s, 
and is currently near 630 km/s. The peak interplanetary field 
strength (IMF, Bt) reached 10 nT and the north-south IMF component 
(Bz) range was +9 to -7 nT. There was no shock associated with 
the wind speed rise at 28/1700UT. The solar wind speed is expected 
to decline over 1-2 Mar as coronal hole and CME induced high 
speed wind stream effects wane. The solar wind speed is expected 
to return to background levels by 3-Mar. The solar energetic 
proton flux (>10 MeV) decreased to around background levels over 
28-Feb. Further S1 conditions are unlikely.

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2A. MAGNETIC SUMMARY

Geomagnetic field for Australian Region 28 Feb: G0

Estimated Indices 28 Feb : A   K           
   Australian Region      12   33332133
      Cocos Island         7   32221122
      Darwin               -   --------
      Townsville          13   33332233
      Learmonth           13   33332233
      Alice Springs       12   33331133
      Gingin              11   33322133
      Canberra            11   33332132
      Hobart              11   34331013    

Estimated Antarctic Regional K Indices 28 Feb :
      Macquarie Island    26   55443143
      Casey               30   56542233
      Mawson              53   64543276

Observed Regional daily pc3 Indices 28 Feb : 
      Darwin              NA
      Townsville           0   (Quiet)
      Learmonth            0   (Quiet)
      Alice Springs        0   (Quiet)
      Gingin              23   (Quiet to unsettled)
      Canberra            11   (Quiet)
      Hobart              58   (Unsettled)

Pc3 pulsations are high frequency (10-45 second period) variations 
of the Earths magnetic field. Daily pc3-indices are the daily sum 
of 20 minute pc3-indices for that station and have been shown to be
well correlated with rejection of high resolution aeromagnetic
survey flight-line data. 

NOTE: Indices may have been generated from data obtained in 
cooperation with the following organisations: Geoscience Australia, 
University of Newcastle Space Physics Group, Australian Government 
Antarctic Division and International Center for Space Weather 
Science and Education, Japan.


Estimated AFr/Ap Indices 28 Feb : A 
           Fredericksburg        18
           Planetary             24                         

Observed AFr/Ap Indices 27 Feb :  A   K
           Fredericksburg        60
           Planetary            109   4578 7875     


2B. MAGNETIC FORECAST 
Date      Ap    Conditions
01 Mar    15    G0, chance G1
02 Mar    10    G0
03 Mar     8    G0

COMMENT: G2 and G1 geomagnetic conditions were observed at the 
planetary level for one period each in the first part of the 
UT day 28-Feb. G0 geomagnetic conditions were observed in the 
Australian region on 28-Feb. G1 geomagnetic conditions were observed 
at Macquarie Island, G1 conditions with a period of G2, were 
observed at Casey and G2 conditions with a period of G3 were 
observed at Mawson. G0 geomagnetic conditions, with a chance 
of G1 are expected on 1-Mar as coronal hole and CME effects wane 
and G0 conditions are expected on 2-3 Mar.

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3A. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION SUMMARY
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
28 Feb      Fair           Poor-fair      Poor-fair      

PCA Event : No event.

3B. GLOBAL HF PROPAGATION FORECAST
	            Latitude Band
Date        Low            Middle         High 
01 Mar      Normal         Normal         Normal-fair
02 Mar      Normal         Normal         Normal-fair
03 Mar      Normal         Normal         Normal-fair

COMMENT: HF propagation conditions were degraded on 28-Feb due 
to geomagnetic activity. There is a chance of degraded conditions 
on 1-Mar as geomagnetic activity subsides. Normal HF propagation 
conditions are expected on 2-3 Mar. Shortwave fadeouts are possible.

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4A. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC SUMMARY


Date   T index
28 Feb    69

Observed Australian Regional MUFs
   Cocos Island Region:
      Mostly near predicted monthly values.
      Enhanced by 45% after local dawn.
   Niue Island Region:
      Enhanced by 25% during local day.
      Enhanced by 45% during local night.
   Northern Australian Region:
      Near predicted monthly values.
   Southern Australian Region:
      Depressed by 35% during local day.
      Depressed by 15% during local night.
   Antarctic Region (Casey/Scott Base/Davis/Mawson):
      Near predicted monthly values over the UT day.

Monthly T index:
Month  T index
Jan      119
Feb      75
Mar      76

4B. AUSTRALIAN REGION IONOSPHERIC FORECAST
Date   T index  MUFs
01 Mar    75    Near predicted monthly values
02 Mar    90    Near predicted monthly values
03 Mar    90    Near predicted monthly values

COMMENT: Maximum usable frequencies (MUFs) in the Northern Australian 
region on UT day 27-Feb were near monthly predicted values. MUFs 
in the southern Australian region were depressed by up to 35%, 
depressions of up to 35% were also observed at Learmonth during 
local day. The depressed HF conditions are due to ongoing geomagnetic 
activity due to a combination of coronal hole high speed wind 
stream effects and two CME impacts on 26-Feb and 27-Feb. Significant 
sporadic-E was observed at Hobart, Norfolk Island, Brisbane and 
Townsville, mostly during local night. Spread F was observed 
at Hobart and Perth during local night. MUFs are expected to 
recover to near predicted monthly values, with some mild depressions 
possible at high latitudes on 1-Mar as geomagnetic activity wanes. 
MUFs are expected to be near monthly predicted values over 2-3 
Mar. Shortwave fadeouts are possible.

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5. SPACE ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY

GOES satellite data for 27 Feb
       Daily Proton Fluence >1 MeV:   7.1E+07
       Daily Proton Fluence >10 MeV:  2.3E+05
       Daily Electron Fluence >2 MeV: 2.40E+06   (normal fluence)
Electron Fluence Daily Deep Dielectric Discharge Probability: 1%
Fluence (flux accumulation over 24hrs)/ cm2-ster-day.
       X-ray background: C1.0

DSCOVR Satellite Solar Wind Day Averaged Data for 27 Feb
Speed: 687 km/sec  Density:    4.8 p/cc  Temp:   406000 K  Bz:  -5 nT

(Courtesy Space Weather Prediction Center, Boulder USA)
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Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
ASWFC at bom.gov.au
www.bom.gov.au | www.sws.bom.gov.au



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