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NOAA ISSUES SPACE WEATHER WARNING
Aug.
24, 2005 � Forecasters at the NOAA
Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo., observed an extreme—G5
on the NOAA space weather
scales—geomagnetic storm, that began on August 24 at 2:12
a.m. EDT. Solar flares on August 22 produced minor to moderate radio
blackouts (R1 and R2) and a moderate radiation storm (S2). Also, two
large Earth-directed coronal mass ejections occurred on August 22, which
resulted in today's extreme geomagnetic storming. The most intense period
of geomagnetic storming occurred between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. EDT
on Wednesday. The storm is currently subsiding. However, additional
but less intense geomagnetic storming is expected through Thursday.
(Click here to view larger image from the SOHO spacecraft of
the intense solar activity on the sun taken Aug. 24, 2005, at 9:19 a.m.
EDT. Click here
to view high resolution version. Click
here to view latest images. Please credit “SOHO.”)
"Extreme geomagnetic storms could cause problems with power systems, spacecraft operations and other high and low frequency systems like satellite navigation and communications," said Bill Murtagh, a space weather forecaster at the NOAA Space Environment Center. Aviation groups have reported moderate to severe impacts to operations over the past two days due to degraded communications.
"Although NOAA predicted a major storm, this storm was unusually strong," added Murtagh. "The coupling between the solar wind interplanetary magnetic field and Earth's magnetic field was very strong. In fact, we've only observed this intense level of coupling a handful of times over the past 10 years."
This solar activity originated from a complex sunspot cluster known as NOAA Region 798. Minor to moderate radio blackouts are still possible Wednesday. The radiation storm currently in progress is expected to subside by Thursday, August 25. This active region is currently rotating around the west limb of the Sun and will no longer be visible from Earth after Wednesday. Subsequent activity from this active sunspot group may impact spacecraft and scientific instruments on Mars and in the near-Mars environment during the next week.
The NOAA Space Environment Center, one of the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction, is home to the nation's early warning system for solar activities that directly affect people and equipment on Earth and in space. SEC's 24 hour-a-day, 7 days-a-week operations are critical in protecting space and ground-based assets. Through the SEC, NOAA and the U.S. Air Force jointly operate the space weather operations center that continuously monitors, analyzes and forecasts the environment between the sun and Earth. In addition to the data gathered from NOAA and NASA satellites, the center receives real-time solar and geophysical information from ground-based observatories around the world. NOAA space weather forecasters use the data to predict solar and geomagnetic activity and issue worldwide alerts of extreme events.
NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources.
Relevant Web Sites
NOAA Space Environment Center
NOAA Solar X-ray Imager — Latest Views of the Sun
Media
Contact:
Carmeyia Gillis, NOAA
Space Environment Center, (301) 763-8000 ext. 7163