NOAA Confirms Start of New Sunspot Cycle (disrupts civ&military comm, elec grids, GPS, cellphn)

AP, NOAA Space Weather Prediction ^ | January 4, 2008 | NOAA

[bd476]

The Latest Mauna Loa Image

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NOAA Confirms Start of New Sunspot Cycle

3 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new solar cycle is under way. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday that the first sunspot of a new 11-year cycle has appeared in the sun's northern hemisphere.

The frequency of sunspots rises and falls during these cycles, and the start of a new cycle indicates they are likely to begin increasing.

Sunspots, areas of intense magnetic activity on the sun, can affect Earth by disrupting electrical grids, airline and military communications, GPS signals and even cell phones, the agency said. During periods of intense sunspot activity, known as solar storms, highly charged radiation from the sun may head toward Earth.

"Our growing dependence on highly sophisticated, space-based technologies means we are far more vulnerable to space weather today than in the past," said NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr.

Last April an international panel of solar experts forecast that Solar Cycle 24 would start in March 2008, plus or minus six months. The panel was split between those predicting a strong or weak cycle.

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Solar X-ray Flux

This plot shows 3-days of 5-minute solar x-ray flux values measured on the SWPC primary and secondary GOES satellites.

One low value may appear prior to eclipse periods.

Today's Space Weather Updated 2008 January 5 01:34 UTC

[bd476]

Thanks for posting that image from SOHO, Xcamel.

[bd476]

LOL!

[bd476]

Heh, where's a good rimshot when we need one.

[Blue_Spark]

I have been predicting the appearance of a high latitude spot this winter. The solar flux minimum was late Sept.-early Oct. Data since then suggested to me that we were on the leading edge of Cycle 24. SSN981 just confirms it. First 6M F2 up here Spring/Fall 2011 is my best guess. GL es CUL

[Brad from Tennessee]

Interesting link from NOAA. Generally speaking the people at NOAA—and this is from 2001—just can’t write anything for the public and climate without throwing man-made global warming in there.

[Fiddlstix]

Heh, where's a good rimshot when we need one.

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Rim Shot

Click the Pic J

[steveo]

It's a quote from VE1DX's 'DX stories' page. W6AUD's (SK) style of writing and characters are now being written by Paul VE1DX. W6AM is mentioned in the one of the stories written by W6AUD...
THE STONE THAT KNOWS DX

[steelyourfaith]

"Hot Air Cult"

~~Anthropogenic Global Warming ™ ping~~

[VxH]

Global Warming? 

Yep, lots of times:

 

Algore's Great-Great-Great-Great Uncle AzGore hoodwinks the sheeple by "Making the Sun Go Dark" during a solar eclipse.

[Nowhere Man]

Well, time to fire up the Bearcat 210 again and scan for DX in the 30 to 50 Megacycle band.

[bd476]

fiddlstix wrote: Rim Shot Click the Pic

Thanks Fiddlstix.

... here all week, and don't
forget to tip your click
this photo:

[RightWhale]

It’s only one sunspot and hardly at the level of knocking satellites out of orbit yet.

[bd476]

RightWhale wrote: "It’s only one sunspot and hardly at the level of knocking satellites out of orbit yet."

Where did you read that a sunspot was

"...at the level of knocking satellites out of orbit..."

?

[bd476]

NOAA / Space Weather Prediction Center

• 
  
  Space Weather Message Code: ALTEF3
  Serial Number: 1429
  Issue Time: 2008 Jan 06 1716 UTC
  
  ALERT: Electron 2MeV Integral Flux exceeded 1000pfu
  Threshold Reached: 2008 Jan 06 1710 UTC
  Station: GOES12
  Observed Yesterday: No
  
  NOAA / Space Weather Prediction Center

[bd476]

This electron flux plot contains the 5-minute averaged integral electron flux (electrons/cm2-s-sr) with energies greater than or equal to 0.6 MeV and greater than or equal to 2 MeV at GOES-12 (W75) and GOES-11 (W135). These data are invalid during a significant proton event because of sensor contamination at the GOES spacecraft.

Enhanced fluxes of electrons for an extended period of time have been associated with deep dielectric charging anomalies.

Noon and midnight local time at the satellite are plotted as N and M.

Electron Flux

[eyedigress]

On the “sudden impulse” what is the definition?

[justa-hairyape]

It will be quite a few months before we see any significant numbers of sunspots. Wont help us this winter at all and we will probably see another cold winter in the Southern Hemisphere. The Northern Hemispheres next winter will be cold but with perhaps less rain/snow. At present, they will have 14 feet of new snow in the Sierra Mountains by Monday just from the past few storms. What will be key is the magnitude of Solar Cycle 24. NASA already predicts cycle 25 to be very low.

[UCANSEE2]

“What is a cellphn?”

A very rare cousin of the dolphin, which only rises from the depths of the ocean during high sunspot activity.

(just kidding : )

[xrmusn]

Well, lets see...It is predicted to start in Mar 08 PLUS OR MINUS 6 months....
Guess it isn’t an exact science now is it, if that is the best an INTERNATIONAL PANEL OF EXPERTS can do

[RightWhale]

NASA already predicts cycle 25 to be very low.

Are space weathermen more accurate than meteorologists?