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 18 April 2012
⇐20120417 ⇐Week ⇐Rotation Today Rotation⇒ Week⇒ 20120419⇒

NOAA
9 Active Regions
11455
11459
11460
11461
11462
11454
11456
11457
11458
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
11459 Dao 23(60) 6(10) 0(1)
11460 Dso 20(40) 4(5) 0(0)
11461 Hsx 4(5) 1(0) 0(0)
11462 Cao 16(15) 2(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
11455 N05W91
(950",81") 		β/β Cao/Fsi 0030/0200 03/16 -
11459 S15E26
(-405",-170") 		β/β Dao/Fhi 0150/0260 11/12 C1.3(18:12)
11460 N16E12
(-191",345") 		β/ Dso/Cro 0050/0020 06/05 -
11461 N13E52
(-735",267") 		α/- Hsx/--- 0040/---- 01/-- -
11462 S23W20
(301",-296") 		β/- Cao/--- 0030/---- 07/-- -
11454 S12W42
(627",-134") 		/ / / / -
11456 S20W91
(897",-326") 		/ / / / -
11457 N20W24
(366",401") 		/α /Axx /0010 /01 -
11458 N06E12
(-198",185") 		/β /Bxo /0010 /02 -

Events not associated with currently named NOAA regions: C3.1(02:59) C1.1(05:26) C1.5(11:28) C8.9(12:32) C5.9(14:51) C5.3(16:54) /C1.1(06:06) C1.1(06:48)

Note: The tabulated data are based on the most recent NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary issued on 18-Apr-2012 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 18-Apr-2012 23:00 UT .