show styles

25 October 2011
20111024 Week Rotation Today Rotation Week 20111026

NOAA
11 Active Regions
SMART
No Data
CHARM
No Data
Welcome to the Flare Prediction System. This page gives the active regions on the Sun today together with each regions probability for producing C-, M-, or X-class events. The flare probabilities were calculated using NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center data from nearly eight years of data starting November 1988 and ending June 1996. The percentage probabilities are based on the number of flares produced by regions classified using the McIntosh classification scheme (McIntosh, P., 1990, Solar Physics, 125, 251) during cycle 22. For example, between November 1988 and June 1996 there were 302 regions classified Eai. As this class produced 62 M-class events, the mean M-class flare rate is ~62/302 or ~0.21 flares per day. Assuming the number of flares per unit time is governed by Poisson statistics, we can estimate a flaring probability for the following 24-hours using P( one or more flares ) = 1 - exp( -mean ), i.e., P = 1 - exp( -0.21 ) ~ 0.19, or 19% for an Eai class region to produce one or more M-class flares in the next 24-hours. See Wheatland, M. S., 2001, Solar Physics, 203, 87 and Moon et al., 2001, Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 106(A12) 29951 for further details.

Click here for a description of the various active region classifications from the Royal Observatory of Belgium.

Region Flare Probabilities (%)
Number McIntosh C-class M-class X-class
11324 Eai 43(90) 19(15) 1(0)
11325 Dso 20(25) 4(0) 0(0)
11327 Dso 20(15) 4(0) 0(0)
11330 Eko 38(90) 14(15) 2(0)
11331 Cso 12(10) 2(0) 0(0)
11332 Hsx 4(5) 1(0) 0(0)

NOTE: Values in parantheses/brackets give the NOAA/SWPC forecast probabilities for the occurrence of one or more C-, M-, or X-class flares. When viewed in real-time and before 22:00 UT, predictions are valid up to 22:00 UT on the current date. When viewed in real-time after 22:00 UT (or when viewing past dates), predictions are valid up to 22:00 UT on the following date. The most recent data can also be found at NOAA's 3-day Space Weather Predictions page.

Please contact Peter Gallagher if you have any comments or questions regarding this research.


IDL Access

Today's NOAA Active Regions
Group Number
Location
Hale
Class
McIntosh Class
Sunspot
Area
Number of Spots
Flares
History
11324 N12W27
(430",126")
βγ/βγ Eai/Eai 0140/0150 31/26 -
11325 N16E02
(-32",184")
β/β Dso/Dao 0150/0180 11/08 -
11327 S20W55
(744",-374")
β/β Dso/Dao 0200/0130 05/11 -
11330 N08E31
(-493",62")
βγ/β Eko/Eao 0560/0210 13/05 -
11331 N09W87
(951",145")
β/β Cso/Bxo 0030/0010 04/02 -
11332 N32E64
(-736",478")
α/- Hsx/--- 0030/---- 01/-- -
11321 S16W90
(926",-264")
/ / / / -
11323 N25W53
(699",361")
/ / / / -
11326 N16W91
(926",266")
/ / / / -
11328 N17W48
(687",227")
/ / / / -
11329 S29W91
(843",-464")
/ / / / -

Events not associated with currently named NOAA regions: None

Note: The tabulated data are based on the most recent NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary issued on 25-Oct-2011 00:30 UT , the values to the right of the forward slashes representing yesterdays values or events. Regions with no data in above property fields have decayed and exhibit no spots. The region positions are valid on 25-Oct-2011 23:47 UT .