Hourly generated report of the last 2 hour IMF extreme values, estimated Kp-Index and aurora activity.
The IMF strength value indicates the total strength of the interplanetary magnetic field. The higher this value, the better it is for enhanced geomagnetic conditions. Moderate Interplanetary Magnetic Field strength values start at 15nT but for middle latitude locations, values of 25nT or more are desirable. The IMF is a vector quantity with a three axis component, two of which (Bx and By) are orientated parallel to the ecliptic. The Bx and By components are not important for auroral activity. The third component, the Z-value is perpendicular to the ecliptic and is created by waves and other disturbances in the solar wind. The north-south direction of the interplanetary magnetic field (Bz) is the most important ingredient for auroral activity. When the north-south direction (Bz) of the the interplanetary magnetic field is orientated southward, it will connect with Earth's magnetosphere which points northward.
For a geomagnetic storm to develop it is vital that the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field (Bz) turns southward. Continues values of -10nT and lower are good indicators that a geomagnetic storm could develop but the lower this value goes the better it is for auroral activity.
Data sources: ftp://ftp.swpc.noaa.gov/pub/lists/ace/ace_mag_1m.txt ftp://ftp.swpc.noaa.gov/pub/lists/ace/ace_swepam_1m.txt http://services.swpc.noaa.gov/text/3-day-forecast.txt
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