Subsiding geomagnetic storm (May 25/26, 2013)

Geomagnetic storming, caused by May 22th M-class solar flare and its Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), is slowly subsiding. Plasma cloud reached our geomagnetic field on May 24, 2013. In the past 24 hours, Earth's magnetic field experienced three episodes of G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels. 

Three episodes of geomagnetic storming on May 24/25, 2013 (Credit: NOAA/SWPC)

On May 24, 2013 ACE Spacecraft first detected the shock passage at 17:35 UTC, followed by a geomagnetic sudden impulse measuring 18 nT at 18:12 UTC.  

Solar radiation storm subsided with protons back to normal levels. On May 23, 2013 solar radiation storming reached S3 (Strong) solar radiation storm levels on NOAA/SWPC Space Weather Scale.

Proton levels reached peak on May 23, 2013 with S3 (Strong) solar radiation storm as a result. Protons are now declining. (Credit: NOAA/SWPC)

Global D-Region Absorption map on May 25, 2013 (Credit: NOAA/SWPC)

Activity at the Sun remained at low levels with weak C-Class solar flares, mostly centered around active regions 1755 and 1756. There are currently six active sunspots visible at solar disk. Sunspot 1748, which produced strong X-class and M-class flaes continues to decay as it moves towards the west limb. Old region 1736 is showing around the east limb. Solar activity is expected to remain at low levels, however, Sunspot 1756 increased in size, and with its developed beta-gamma magnetic configuration, is capable of producing strong flares. NOAA/SWPC forecasters estimate 25% chance of M-class and only 1% chance of X-class events.

SDO's AIA304 with marked sunspots and coronal holes, satellite environmental plot and X-Ray flux (Credit: SDO/NOAA/SWPC/TheWatchers)

Featured image: OVATION aurora forecast map for South Pole on May 25, 2013 (Credit: OVATION/NOAA)