March 2011 G1 Magnetic Storm Global Kp6
Build a Geomagnetic Observatory ! GELLER Labs "Backyard Science"
Thoughts on a proton precession magnetometer design - a Proton Magnetometer Project. Build an Earth's field magnetometer.
The FDM MAGNETOMETER1 project is a low cost high performance proton magnetometer (a digital magnetometer) kit under development for universities and amateur scientists to be able to accurately measure and monitor changes in the Earth's total magnetic F field and to observe geomagnetic storms. Magnetic storms can cause large excursions in the field and are of concern to interests ranging from electrical power grids, radio communications, and satellite operations, to aurora watchers and amateur radio operators.
1 Filter Diagonalization Method "FDM" (harmonic inversion), see Jan 21 and Jan 23 entries, based on: Vladimir A. Mandelshtam, Howard S. Taylor, Harmonic inversion of time signals and its applications, Journal of Chemical Physics (1997), Volume 107, Issue 17, 1997, Pages 6756-6769
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Journal Notes:
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Overnight: PDF, TXT. The geomagnetic field was quiet overnight. Sample spectra PDF, log spectra PDF Afternoon: Interesting relatively fast negative going triangular shaped waveform just before 4 pm local (2100 UTC) PDF, seen throughout North America, USGS PDF.
7 day view of last week's G1 minor magnetic storm NOAA K PDF, NOAA Costello PDF. It looks like there might be some increased activity today according to the Costello index.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Overnight: PDF, TXT. The overnight PDF was extended back to yesterday afternoon to include a positive going pulse just before 6 pm local which followed the negative going pulse just before 4 pm local noted yesterday. Today's PDF also includes the down-turn of a normal diurnal cycle of the total geomagnetic field (the total field "F" scalar) here in upstate, NY. The 7 day NOAA Costello index and USAF observed Kp estimated (blue curve) PDF appear to be indicating unsettled geomagnetic conditions (sub-storm levels). So far today, the local magnetogram has at times shown some increased scatter in the short term data, especially around 8 am local (1300 UTC), however nothing more noticable yet.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The long term auto-retry success rate for an auto-retry figure of merit (FOM) threshold of 6e-6 looks like about 89% at 4,615 points since 3/2.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Overnight: PDF, TXT The geomagnetic field was relatively quiet overnight. The spikes are not noise, but actual vehicles which became stationary for a time within our immediate sensing range of about 100 meters (depends on the size and ferrous content of the vehicle).
Thursday, March 10, 2011 - Estimated Kp 4 at ~0900 UTC, pm Planetary Kp 5! NOAA K Index PDF
Early morning local (5 am): A small positive going pulse just before 2 am local ~5 nT was followed by a small negaitve going pulse between 3 am and 4 am. At 4 am local (0900 UTC) there was a storm like fast leading edge negative pulse of ~25 nT. PDF. NOAA Costello PDF. fast cycle mode on at 5:13 local, we'll see what develops, if anything.
Overnight: PDF, TXT Our local geomagnetic field fell from about 53,713 nT (close to our nominal value) to 53,660 nT after 4 am (0900 UTC) this morning. There was one very distinct small (~5 nT) positive going pulse on a relatively slow negative slope (~20 nT / 2 hours), followed by a small negative going pulse, and then a relatively fast negative excursion of about 22 nT over about a 20 minute time frame. Expanded view PDF. USGS PDF, NRCan OTT PDF, NOAA Costello 7day view PDF, NOAA K PDF.
Afternoon: A K4 warning earlier at NOAA Space Weather PDF, otherwise the field seems to have quieted for now. 4 pm local (2100 UTC) Some sort of geomagnetic activity is clearly afoot PDF, NOAA Costello PDF. The present activity began about 3 pm local (2000 UTC) with slight down-turn in the field followed by a rapid storm-like increase just before 4 pm. Our magnetogram as of 4:11 pm PDF, NRCan OTT PDF. Our 2 day view shows how the present up-swing of the magnetic field (Earth's field total magnetic "F" scalar) this afternoon compares to this morning's 4 am local down-turn of the geomagnetic field PDF. On the other hand, any analysis of this afternoon's activity is certainly complicated by an overlap with the normal afternoon up-turn of the diurnal cycle. See for example our record showing the diurnal cycle from about 3/2 to 3/8 PDF.
Evening: It has certainly been an active geomagnetic day! Here is our magnetogram as of 7:50 pm PDF. The field local remained elevated just above 53,740 nT since about 4 pm with several postive pulses and one relatlively slow negative half sine like pulse. Then between about 7:36 pm and 7:56 pm, the field dropped about 20 nT PDF. NOAA is now calling a Kp 5 for at least part of the day's events, NOAA K index PDF. A vertical fall of the local geomagnetic field at 8 pm local is not part of a typical diurnal cycle! PDF From NOAA Space Weather PDF, the auroral oval is extended towards North America (but, not close enough for any sightings in the U.S.) PDF. Overall view of the days events PDF. This event is not over yet, there has been another relatively fast down-turn 11 pm (~30 nT) PDF. Comparing our magnetogram PDF to NRCan OTT PDF. The aurora oval has increased, probably still not far enough for the U.S. PDF. Later reports indicate that Auroras were seen in some U.S. States (the east coast was cloudy with heavy rain in some areas). Afternote: Compare to this auroral oval froma relatively quiet geomagnetic period PDF.
2 am (0700 UTC) Update : As minor geomagnetic storms go, this now appears to be a signficant event PDF, PDF.
Friday, March 11, 2011 - Kp 5 G1 (some indices higher, Est. Planetary to Kp6)
Overnight: PDF, TXT Overview of yesterday's Kp5 event PDF.
There is continued geomagnetic activity today. Once again, there is some overlap with a down-turn followed by an up-turn in the field which is par of our normal local diurnal cycle. However that swing is normally on the order of 20 nT and the present swing is >50 nT PDF, NOAA K PDF. Two day view for comparing yesterday's geomagnetic activity to today's activity PDF.
Early Evening: PDF, NOAA Costello PDF. Evening PDF, NOAA SWN PDF, NOAA K PDF. Two day view PDF. It almost looks like the event might be winding down, however not yet according to the NOAA Costello Index PDF.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Overnight: PDF, TXT, NOAA 7 day Costello Index PDF, NOAA K PDF. Afternoon: a positive pulse followed by an oscillatory sine like waveform, both just under 10 nT (relatively small) PDF.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Overnight: PDF, TXT, return to quiet geomagnetic conditions. The long term auto-retry success rate for an auto-retry figure of merit (FOM) threshold of 2e-5 looks like about 96% at 3,938 points since 3/9.
G1 magnetic storm in the rear-view mirror: NOAA 7 day Costello Index PDF, NOAA K index PDF.
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