show styles

 12 August 2012
⇐20120811 ⇐Week ⇐Rotation Today Rotation⇒ Week⇒ 20120813⇒

NOAA
9 Active Regions
11537
11538
11540
11542
11543
11544
11545
11539
11541
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
11538 Dso 20(5) 4(1) 0(1)
11540 Hax 7(10) 2(5) 0(1)
11542 Dao 23(25) 6(5) 0(1)
11543 Dho 29(20) 2(5) 2(1)
11544 Dao 23(15) 6(1) 0(1)
11545 Bxo 5(5) 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.

IDL Access

Today's NOAA Active Regions
Group Number
Location
Hale
Class
McIntosh Class
Sunspot
Area
Number of Spots
Flares
History
11537 N12W83
(919",182") 		α/α Axx/Hsx 0010/0020 01/01 -
11538 S23W87
(870",-372") 		β/β Dso/Dso 0070/0110 02/06 -
11540 S25W63
(765",-442") 		α/β Hax/Cao 0050/0110 01/07 /M1.0(11:55)
11542 S14W06
(96",-333") 		β/β Dao/Dai 0110/0130 07/10 /C2.0(16:28)
11543 N20E07
(-108",221") 		β/β Dho/Dho 0250/0250 09/04 -
11544 S31W46
(585",-549") 		β/β Dao/Dso 0070/0080 07/06 /C1.1(01:13)
11545 S14W35
(528",-314") 		β/- Bxo/--- 0010/---- 01/-- -
11539 S20W70
(836",-356") 		/ / / / -
11541 S17W60
(785",-327") 		/ / / / -

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 12-Aug-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 12-Aug-2012 23:00 UT .