[HCARC] Geomagnetic Activity

[Kerry Sandstrom]

The sun produced 2-M1 flares today and the solar flux is still over 
200.  Conditions should be good except for a geomagnetic storm that 
started this afternoon and a polar cap absorption event that started 
this morning.  The X2 flare on the 20th produced a lot of protons that 
have finally arrived.  The protons are precipitating down at the two 
poles causing a lot of HF signal absorption at the poles. Don't expect 
to hear signals that cross the auroral zone.

Only 4 of last weeks sunspot groups are still on this side of the sun 
and they will be going over the limb in the next couple days. There are 
3 new groups that have just appeared over the other limb. Two are 
reasonable size and one is quite small.  The solar flux may not stay 
above 200 this week but conditions should remain good if the protons 
stop and the geomagnetic field quiets down.

Kerry