Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2010 Mar 09 2021 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html # # Weekly Highlights and Forecasts # Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 01 - 07 March 2010 Solar activity was very low for most of the week with the exception of a single C-flare, a C2.2 at 04/1611 UTC from Region 1052 (S17, L=353, class/area Cro/040 on 04 March). Also of note during the period was a long duration B6.6 event at 01/2306 UTC which was associated with a CME from the East limb, near the location of old Region 1045 (N24, L=242, class/area 420/420 on 09 February). Nonetheless old Region 1045 returned only as spotless plage. Regions 1052 and 1053 (S22, L360, class/area Cro/040 on 04 March), which appeared on the disk on 01 March, showed some growth and increased activity on 04 March and part of 05 March. Early on 05 March a CME was observed on the west limb at about 0054 UTC and was associated with a weak wave visible in STEREO-A EUVI imagery near Region 1052. Later in the week another long-duration B5.2 x-ray event occurred at 06/0900 UTC which was associated with an EIT wave in the old 1045 plage area as well as a filament disappearance and a CME off the East limb. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal background levels. Geomagnetic field activity was predominantly quiet at mid-latitudes, with isolated unsettled to active periods at high latitudes. Observations from the ACE spacecraft indicated nominal solar wind conditions for most of the week. However, the interplanetary magnetic field showed increases between 01/0600-2300 UTC (Bt peak ~11 nT, Bz between -7 nT and +10 nT), 02/0930-1300 UTC (Bt peak ~7 nT, Bz between -7 nT and +2 nT), and 06/1830 UTC - 07/1030 UTC (Bt peak ~10 nT, Bz between -8 nT and +8 nT). Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 10 March - 05 April 2010 Solar activity is expected to be predominantly very low with possible isolated periods of low levels for the forecast interval. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal background levels through the period. The geomagnetic field is expected to be predominantly quiet throughout the forecast interval.
