Status Report

NOAA Space Weather Outlook #00-49 14 Nov 2000

By SpaceRef Editor
November 14, 2000
Filed under

Official Space Weather Advisory issued by NOAA Space Environment Center
Boulder, Colorado, USA

SPACE WEATHER OUTLOOK #00- 49

2000 November 14 at 11:22 a.m. MST (2000 November 14 1822 UT)

**** SPACE WEATHER OUTLOOK ****

Summary For November 6-12

Space weather increased to severe levels during the period. A category
R2 (moderate) radio blackout occurred on Nov. 8 due to a major solar
flare near the northwest limb of the Sun. Category R2 radio blackouts
typically result in the following system effects on the sunlit side of
Earth: limited blackout of high-frequency radio communication with loss
of radio contact for tens of minutes and degradation of low-frequency
navigation signals for tens of minutes. A category S4 (severe) solar
radiation storm began on Nov. 8 and continued for the rest of the
period. This storm followed the major flare of Nov. 8. Category S4
solar radiation storms may result in the following system effects:
unavoidable radiation hazard to astronauts on EVA, elevated radiation
exposure to passengers and crew aboard commercial jets at high
latitudes (approximately 10 chest X-rays); satellite operations may
experience memory device problems and noise on imaging systems, noise
on star-tracker systems may cause orientation problems, and solar panel
efficiency may be degraded; and blackout of high-frequency radio
communication through the polar regions and increased navigation errors
over several days are likely. Category G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storms
occurred during Nov. 6 – 7 and 10 due to CME passages at Earth. The
following system effects are commonly associated with category G2
storms: high latitude power systems may experience voltage alarms, long
duration storms may cause transformer damage; corrective actions to
satellite orientation may be required by ground control, possible
changes in satellite drag affect orbit predictions; high frequency
radio communication can fade at higher latitudes, and aurora can be
seen as low as New York and Idaho (typically 55 degrees geomagnetic
latitude).

Outlook For November 15-21

Space weather is expected to decrease to minor levels during the period.
Isolated category R1 (minor) radio blackouts are expected during the
coming week. Category R1 radio blackouts normally result in the
following system effects on the sunlit side of Earth: minor degradation
of high-frequency radio communication resulting in occasional loss of
radio contact and low-frequency navigation signals degraded for brief
intervals.

Data used to provide space weather services are contributed by NOAA,
USAF, NASA, NSF, USGS, the International Space Environment Services
and other observatories, universities, and institutions. More
information is available at SEC’s Web site http://sec.noaa.gov or
(303) 497-5127. The NOAA Public Affairs contact is Barbara McGehan
at bmcgehan@boulder.noaa.gov or (303) 497-6288.

SpaceRef staff editor.