X1.1 Solar Flare - July 6, 2012

A X1.1 solar flare has occurred peaking at 23:08 UTC Friday July 6, 2012. Today's X flare comes from large sunspot region 1515.

Continue to check back often for further updates and alerts as todays solar events unfold.
All updates will be added to the bottom of this report

SUMMARY: X-ray Event exceeded X1

Begin Time: 2012 Jul 06 2301 UTC

Maximum Time: 2012 Jul 06 2308 UTC

End Time: 2012 Jul 06 2314 UTC

X-ray Class: X1.1

Location: S18W50

NOAA Scale: R3 - Strong

Potential Impacts: Area of impact consists of large portions of the sunlit side of Earth, strongest at the sub-solar point.

Radio - Wide area blackout of HF (high frequency) radio communication for about an hour.

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SUMMARY: 10cm Radio Burst
Begin Time: 2012 Jul 06 2304 UTC
Maximum Time: 2012 Jul 06 2306 UTC
End Time: 2012 Jul 06 2306 UTC
Duration: 2 minutes
Peak Flux: 520 sfu
Latest Penticton Noon Flux: 158 sfu
Description: A 10cm radio burst indicates that the electromagnetic burst associated with a solar flare at the 10cm wavelength was double or greater than the initial 10cm radio background. This can be indicative of significant radio noise in association with a solar flare. This noise is generally short-lived but can cause interference for sensitive receivers including radar, GPS, and satellite communications.

UPDATE @ 02:44 UTC July 7, 2012

There has been some question about the discrepancy seen between the GOES 3day Xray flux and the 5min Xray flux. We have noticed that the calibration for the 3 day Xray flux is off by around a 1.0 margin and has been that way for about a week now. Any M flare that we have had this week that was around M1 range has been showing on the 3day GOES Xray flux as a high C flare. Note the M flares on here and count how many M flares you see for July 6th

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/rt_plots/xray_5m.html

on the 3day it shows 5, but we have had 6

http://mysolaralerts.blogspot.com/p/solar-flare-updates.html

same thing for the 5th.

Any M that registered around a M1 range was shown on the 3 day Xray flux as a high C. Now this X1 occurred and it does the same and shows this X1.1 flare on the 3day as a high M. The 3 day Xray graph is around a 1.0 mark off. We have written to NOAA/SWPC about this issue.

UPDATE @ 01:08 UTC July 7, 2012

ALERT: Type IV Radio Emission

Begin Time: 2012 Jul 06 2322 UTC

Description: Type IV emissions occur in association with major eruptions on the sun and are typically associated with strong coronal mass ejections and solar radiation storms.

We now see there IS a CME associated with this X flare event. Earth is well connected with the region of 1515. This CME was not directly Earth directed as it was ejected to the south and west. but a glancing blow to Earth's magnetosphere is likely late on July 9th into the 10th

X-FLARE: Giant sunspot AR1515 unleashed a strong X1.1-class solar flare on July 6th at 2308 UT. Because Earth is well-connected to the blast site by solar magnetic fields, a fusillade of protons accelerated by the explosion might soon reach our planet.

Credit: Spaceweather

UPDATE @ 22:35 UTC July 6, 2012

D-region Absorption Map at time of X flare

At this time, the geomagnetic conditions are unsettled with a Kp 5

Issue Time: 2012 Jul 06 2246 UTC
ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 5
Threshold Reached: 2012 Jul 06 2241 UTC
Synoptic Period: 2100-2400 UTC
Active Warning: Yes
NOAA Scale: G1 - Minor
Potential Impacts: Area of impact primarily poleward of 60 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude.
Induced Currents - Weak power grid fluctuations can occur.
Spacecraft - Minor impact on satellite operations possible.
Aurora - Aurora may be visible at high latitudes, i.e., northern tier of the U.S. such as northern Michigan and Maine

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