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 28 March 2012
⇐20120327 ⇐Week ⇐Rotation Today Rotation⇒ Week⇒ 20120329⇒

NOAA
8 Active Regions
11438
11442
11445
11447
11436
11443
11444
11446
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
11438 Cao 16(5) 2(1) 0(1)
11442 Dai 38(40) 11(1) 2(1)
11445 Eso 19(15) 6(1) 0(1)
11447 Cro 9(1) 1(1) 0(1)

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.

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Today's NOAA Active Regions
Group Number
Location
Hale
Class
McIntosh Class
Sunspot
Area
Number of Spots
Flares
History
11438 S14W38
(575",-145") 		β/α Cao/Hsx 0030/0020 03/01 -
11442 N12W27
(428",296") 		β/β Dai/Cso 0050/0030 09/03 -
11445 S22E12
(-185",-257") 		β/β Eso/Fao 0210/0210 06/07 -
11447 S25W68
(808",-365") 		β/- Cro/--- 0040/---- 05/-- -
11436 S14W91
(931",-232") 		/ / / / -
11443 N16W17
(271",367") 		/ / / / -
11444 N21W30
(449",433") 		/β /Cso /0040 /05 C1.4(21:42)
/C5.3(02:50)
C1.7(04:21)
11446 N23W67
(815",413") 		/ / / / -

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 28-Mar-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 28-Mar-2012 23:00 UT .