NASA GSFC Space Weather Center

NASA GSFC Space Weather Center

Weekly Space Weather Summary Report for August 3, 2011 - August 9, 2011

 From: GSFC-Space-Weather-Desk 
 Date: August 10, 2011 5:54:33 PM EDT
 To: GSFC-Space-Weather-Desk 
 Subject: Weekly Space Weather Report

 ## Message Type: Weekly Space Weather Summary Report for August 3, 2011 - August 9, 2011
 ##
 ## Message Issue Date:           2011-08-10T21:50:00Z
 ## Report Coverage Begin Date:   2011-08-03T00:00:00Z
 ## Report Coverage End   Date:   2011-08-09T23:59:59Z
 ## Message ID: 20110810-7D-001


 ## Summary:

Solar activity ranged from low, moderate to high levels for this reporting period with occurrence of numerous C-class flares, a few long-duration M-class flares accompanied by significant CMEs (see the alerts 20110803-AL-002 and 20110804-AL-003), and an X6.9 class flare (the largest flare of the solar cycle 24 so far) peaked at 2011-08-09T08:05Z (details are listed below). Most of the flares originated from the active regions 1261 and 1263.

A weak interplanetary shock arrived at ACE (L1) around 2011-08-04T21:00Z due to the CME occurred on 2011-08-02 (see the alert 20110805-AL-001). A stronger interplanetary shock registered at ACE around 2011-08-05T17:20Z from the merged two CMEs initiated on 2011-08-03 and on 2011-08-04 respectively (see below).

In terms of geomagnetic activity, a brief period of severe level of geomagnetic disturbances resulted from the arrival of the merged CMEs (the strong shock mentioned above) during 2011-08-05T18:00 - 2011-08-05T21:00Z where Kp = 8 (Kp ranges from 0 -9). The geomagnetic activity decreased back to low levels (Kp=3) by the mid-day (12:00 UT) on 2011-08-06. Otherwise, geomagnetic activity was low in general (Kp <= 3).

The >0.8 MeV energetic electron flux at GEO started at high levels (> 10^4 pfu) until 2011-08-05T00:00Z, decreased to low levels due to the arrival of the interplanetary shocks (from 2011-08-05T00:00Z to 2011-08-07T00:00Z) and recovered back to be at high levels for the remainder of the reporting week (at times close to 10^5 pfu).

There were two instances of energetic proton events during the reporting week. 1. The >100 MeV proton flux at GEO orbit exceeded 1 pfu during the period of 2011-08-04T05:10Z to 2011-08-04T11:10Z, peaking at 1.8 pfu at 2011-08-04T07:40Z. The > 10 MeV proton flux at GEO orbit exceeded 10 pfu beginning at 2011-08-04T06:35Z, reaching maximum of 96 pfu at 2011-08-05T21:50Z, and ending at 2011-08-06T05:15Z. The >10 MeV proton flux decreased towards the background level on 2011-08-07. This resulted from the M9.3 flare and the associated CME on 2011-08-04.

2. The >100 MeV proton flux at GEO orbit exceeded 1 pfu during the period of 2011-08-09T08:25Z to 2011-08-09T10:45Z, peaking at 2.7 pfu at 2011-08-09T08:55Z. The > 10 MeV proton flux at GEO orbit exceeded 10 pfu beginning at 2011-08-09T08:45Z, reaching maximum of 27 pfu at 2011-08-09T12:10Z, and ending at 2011-08-09T17:10Z. The >10 MeV proton flux decreased towards the background level on 2011-08-10. This resulted from the X6.9 flare and the associated CME on 2011-08-09.

 Space weather impact:
 Spacecraft between the Sun and Earth can be impacted during the periods of the space weather events.

 ## Events:
 Flares (C class and above):
 Date           Start          Stop          Peak          Class          Location
 2011/08/03    02:35:00       02:40:00      02:38:00       C1.2           N16W25 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/03    03:08:00       03:51:00      03:37:00       M1.1           N15W28 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/03    04:29:00       04:35:00      04:32:00       M1.7           N16E10 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/03    06:42:00       06:49:00      06:46:00       C1.1           N19W24 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/03    07:38:00       07:46:00      07:45:00       C3.0           N15W28 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/03    10:01:00       10:06:00      10:04:00       C1.0           N15E05 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/03    13:17:00       14:30:00      13:45:00       M6.0           N17W30 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/03    18:52:00       19:06:00      19:00:00       C2.3           N15W00 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/03    19:23:00       19:30:00      19:30:00       C8.5           N14W36 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    00:47:00       00:50:00      00:50:00       C1.6           N14W37 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    02:14:00       02:28:00      02:15:00       C3.2           N15W39 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    03:41:00       03:57:00      03:45:00       M9.3           N16W38 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    07:56:00       08:06:00      08:00:00       C3.5           N16W08 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/04    09:15:00       09:23:00      09:20:00       C2.5           N19W39 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    10:06:00       10:19:00      10:12:00       C1.6           N14W41 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    11:43:00       11:49:00      11:45:00       C1.2           N15W44 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    13:04:00       13:12:00      13:07:00       C2.1           N16W09 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/04    14:09:00       14:17:00      14:15:00       C1.0           N14W44 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    14:32:00       14:44:00      14:38:00       C1.8           N16W10 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/04    21:07:00       21:15:00      21:15:00       C3.2           N14W49 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    22:03:00       22:13:00      22:08:00       C1.2           N16W15 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/04    22:54:00       23:05:00      23:00:00       C1.7           N15W51 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/04    23:21:00       23:32:00      23:28:00       C3.6           N14W50 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/05    03:32:00       03:41:00      03:41:00       C1.0           N15W80 (Region 1265)
 2011/08/05    05:56:00       06:07:00      05:59:00       C1.3           N18W50 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/05    10:23:00       10:37:00      10:30:00       C1.0           N15W56 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/05    12:38:00       12:45:00      12:45:00       C2.0           N19W24 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/05    17:40:00       17:53:00      17:47:00       C1.8           N18W26 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/05    19:41:00       19:49:00      19:45:00       C1.4           N16W63 (Region 1261)
 2011/08/06    11:41:00       11:53:00      11:46:00       C1.3           N18W29 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/06    12:16:00       12:30:00      12:23:00       C1.4           S16E19 (Region 1267)
 2011/08/06    16:55:00       18:41:00      18:07:00       C1.4           N25W87 (Region 1260)
 2011/08/06    19:22:00       19:32:00      19:27:00       C1.4           N17W34 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/06    22:23:00       23:15:00      22:46:00       C1.4           N17W35 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/07    02:12:00       02:22:00      02:15:00       C1.3           N17W38 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/07    03:04:00       03:24:00      03:11:00       C2.1           N17W38 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/07    03:38:00       03:48:00      03:43:00       C1.4           N18W43 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/07    04:04:00       04:11:00      04:08:00       C1.6           N17W39 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/07    08:24:00       08:37:00      08:32:00       C1.6           S16E08 (Region 1267)
 2011/08/07    09:23:00       09:29:00      09:27:00       C2.1           N18W45 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/07    14:02:00       14:10:00      14:06:00       C1.3           N18W46 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/08    03:00:00       03:14:00      03:10:00       C1.3           N18W58 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/08    16:30:00       16:41:00      16:36:00       C2.2           N17W62 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/08    18:00:00       18:10:00      18:18:00       M3.5           N15W62 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/08    22:00:00       22:20:00      22:09:00       C7.7           N17W65 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/08    23:02:00       23:22:00      23:15:00       C5.3           N17W66 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/09    03:19:00       03:54:00      03:45:00       M2.5           N17W69 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/09    07:19:00       07:27:00      07:23:00       C1.4           N15W69 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/09    07:48:00       08:08:00      08:05:00       X6.9           N14W69 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/09    13:29:00       13:45:00      13:45:00       C2.2           N17W78 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/09    15:43:00       15:54:00      15:45:00       C2.4           N15W76 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/09    18:04:00       18:11:00      18:11:00       C2.0           N16W75 (Region 1263)
 2011/08/09    23:33:00       23:49:00      23:43:00       C3.9           N15W80 (Region 1263)


 CMEs (> 500 km/s):
 Earth directed:
 Starting time        Speed (km/s)       Direction (LON/LAT in HEE)     Angular width (degrees)      Detecting spacecraft (real-time)
 2011-08-03T13:55Z     ~ 1320                   30/15                          88                          STEREO A, B and SOHO
 2011-08-04T04:10Z     ~ 1950                   40/14                          120                         STEREO A, B and SOHO

 Non-Earth directed:
 Starting time        Speed (km/s)       Direction (LON/LAT in HEE)     Angular width (degrees)      Detecting spacecraft (real-time)
 2011-08-08T18:24Z     ~ 850                      60/0                            40                          STEREO A, B and SOHO
 2011-08-09T08:24Z      ~ 1175                   62/-12                         40                          STEREO A, B and SOHO

 ## Spacecraft Anomalies Reported to SWL:
 None.

 ## Space Weather Outlook:
 ## Outlook Coverage Begin Date: 2011-08-10T00:00:00Z
 ## Outlook Coverage End   Date: 2011-08-16T23:59:59Z

The active region 1263 (N17W90), now at the west limb, remains magnetically complex, having the potential of giving off M-class flares and backsided CMEs in the upcoming week. The radiation belt electron flux is expected to remain at high levels for the first half of the week.

 ## Notes:


 For questions, comments, requests etc. contact:
 GSFC-Space-Weather-Desk 
 Y. Zheng, 301-286-0111 (office)  240-381-5237 (cell)
 A. Pulkkinen, 301-286-0652 (office), 240-381-0968 (cell)

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