Subj: solar storm - good links
Date: 7/14/00 8:56:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: marcia111@earthlink.net (marcia)
To: bardsquill@aol.com (Kent Steadman)

Kent -

Found a couple of good links to bulletins concerning the current solar storm.

marcia peters


http://sec.noaa.gov/SWN/index.html
We are currently experiencing a severe solar radiation event (S4 level). This must be the proton storm.
Here is the definition of S4:

S 4
Severe
Biological: unavoidable radiation hazard to astronauts on EVA; elevated radiation exposure to passengers and crew in commercial jets at high latitudes (approximately 10 chest x-rays).

Satellite operations: memory device problems, noise on imaging systems, star-trackers cause orientation problems, and solar panels degraded .

Other systems: blackout of HF radio communications through the polar cap and increased navigation errors over several days.



Official Space Weather Bulletin at http://sec.noaa.gov/advisories/bulletins.html :
SPACE WEATHER BULLETIN #00- 10
2000 July 14 at 10:14 a.m. MDT (2000 July 14 1614 UT)

**** RADIATION STORM OCCURS , MAGNETIC STORM PREDICTED ****

A large, complex sunspot group has produced one of the largest solar flares and associated radiation storms seen in recent years. The flare peaked at 4:24 a.m. MDT (1024 UTC) on July 14 and resulted in a radio blackout that reached R3 (strong) levels and a solar radiation storm that reached S3 (strong) levels. The solar radiation storm, which continues at the time of this advisory, is the largest observed since October, 1989. Images from NASA's SOHO/LASCO spacecraft showed that a large, fast-moving coronal mass ejection (CME) followed the flare and is headed Earthward. NOAA space weather forecasters predict that the CME will impact the Earth's magnetic field on Saturday afternoon and will cause a geomagnetic storm that is expected to reach category G3 (strong) to G4 (severe) levels. The radiation and geomagnetic storms are expected to produce adverse effects on spacecraft operations, power systems, high-frequency radio communications, and low-frequency navigation signals. In addition, the geomagnetic storm is expected to produce aurora displays that will be visible over much of the U.S.

The sunspot group responsible for this event will be visible from Earth until it crosses the Sun's west limb on July 21 and more space weather storms are possible until that time.