Solar-Geophysical Data Reports 54 Years of Space Weather Data. Solar … Contact online >>
Solar-Geophysical Data Reports 54 Years of Space Weather Data. Solar
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The United States Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) runs the Solar Electro-Optical Network (SEON), a real-time solar optical and radio observing and analysis network. The SEON comprises five locations operating a Solar Observing Optical Network (SOON) telescope, a Radio Solar Telescope Network (RSTN) telescope, or a combination of both. The network provides timely and accurate solar alerts and analyses to the Space Weather Operations Center (SpaceWOC), 2d Weather Squadron (2 WS), and the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
The RSTN telescopes gather standardized solar radio data in a computer assisted automatic mode. The RSTN system produces discrete frequency radio observations using Radio Interference Measuring Sets (RIMS) and wideband spectral radio observations using the Solar Radio Spectrograph (SRS). Operating nominally, the RSTN provides 24 hour, 7 days a week, 365 days a year coverage of the Sun, even during cloudy conditions. There are several observatories that operate RSTN telescopes positioned in the CONUS (Continental U.S.), Eastern and Western Pacific, and Europe.
Some of the RSTN data are similar to the data that can be found in the Solar Radio Datasets, which provide data from other ground-based stations. Data are updated monthly except where noted.
The Radio Interference Measuring Set (RIMS) 1 second data show total power output in SFU (10-22 W*m-2 *Hz-1 )at 1 second time intervals for each monitored frequency. This value is the total raw power received by the RIMS. More details on the RSTN 1-sec data format.
The Solar Radio Spectrograph (SRS) differs from RIMS radiometers in instrumentation, theory of operation, and type of activity observed. The SRS detects spectral solar radio frequency emissions within the meter and decameter (tens of meters) region of the radio spectrum. These spectral data are then projected graphically for analysis. Analysts determine and report solar activity based on the spectral signature of the events. CME shock speed analysis occurs on the SRS in real time by RSTN Analysts and is often the first chronographic data reported.
The IFLUX or "Noon Flux" is measured daily at the central meridian passage of the Sun for each observatory. This ensures a standardized process for the Noon Flux measurement. "IFLUX" and "Noon Flux" are interchangeable and refer to the same measurement. The Noon Flux measurement determines the quiet Sun (i.e., background) thermal radio output received by Earth at the associated frequencies. Like the one second data, the Noon Flux reports total raw power received by the sensors at each observatory during central meridian passage. These values can then be used as calibration references, or to track and monitor daily changes within the solar atmosphere.
SOON (Solar Observing Optical Network) is composed of several USAF (United States Air Force) telescopes for the study of solar activity in support of space weather specifications and forecasts. The data linked here consist of photographs of the solar continuum at 630.315 nm with sunspot information included on the image. Images are in PDF format.
Note:The prototype network was called OSPaN (Optical Solar Patrol Network) and was renamed to SOON or ISOON (Improved SOON).
The Learmonth Solar Radio Spectrograph observes the radio emmission of the Sun from 25MHz to 180 Mhz. Solar radiospectrograph display radio bursts or "sweep" events. These are classified into particular types. A "Type 2" spectral burst isbelieved to be due to plasma emmission that occurs following the passage of a shock wave through the corona, usuallyassociated with a solar flare. This information can be used to try and predict the arrival time of the shock at the Earth, andthe possible onset of geomagnetic storm activity.
Learmonth solar radio data is archived automatically into the WDC every day.
The US Air Force operates four solar radio observatories at various locations around the world. These are collectivelyknown as the Radio Solar Telescope Network or RSTN. Each observatory monitors solar radio emissions on 8 discrete fixedfrequencies (245, 410, 610, 1415, 2695, 4995, 8800 and 15400 MHz) as well as low frequency spectral emissions in the VHFband.
This document is only concerned with the 8 discrete frequencies.
The four RSTN observatories are:
The Learmonth Solar Observatory is jointly operated by Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and USAF.
RSTN operations started in the mid 1970''s and each of the 8 radio telescopes was connected to one or more chart recorders the late 1970''s a group of programmers at Palehua Solar Observatory wrote a suite of programs for the observatory HP1000computer to digitise, analyse and archive data from the 8 discrete frequencies. This data was stored in a binary format onstandard 9 track magnetic tape.
Early in the 21st century, the USAF decided that the HP1000 was to be replaced for RSTN operations by a PC based system.This was termed the RSTN Rehost, and the code was written by USAF programmers at Sagamore Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah.This system was called the Fixed Frequency Analysis Program.
This format contains ASCII records, with one record per second. Each record contains data from all eight discretefrequencies. Each record is terminated by a carriage return followed by a line feed . Each record, includingterminating characters is 68 bytes long. A full summer day''s file may reach 3.5 Mega-bytes in size.
Data records are written to local day files with the naming convention:
Note that a UT (Universal Time) boundary may be crossed in a local day file. However, only one file is associated witheach observatory local day.
Each record has the format:
Routine radiotelescope calibrations are carried out twice a day, one in the morning, shortly after the radiotelescopesbegin recording data, and another around noon-time. Note that during these times, the traces will usually disappear from thescreen. The sequence of calibration is to take first a cold sky reading, with the gain of part of the radiotelescopedifferent from the normal "track" values. Then, with the same gain values, a reading of a standard noise source is made nally, with the gain settings now returned to normal patrol values, a reading of the cold sky is made again. In the nooncalibration, these three readings are followed by a drift scan to more accurately determine a value for the background solarfluxes around midday.
Not all the deflections of the trace will be due to solar activity. Unfortunately, from time to time radio frequencyinterference will be recorded. This will vary from frequency to frequency and from site to site. Some sites are more proneto RFI than are other sites. Some frequencies at some sites are also more susceptible to interference than other frequencies terference is generally from man-made transmitters, both on the ground and in space, although both man-made and naturalelectrical discharges can also cause RFI, particularly on the lower frequencies.
There are three basic ways in which it may be possible to distinguish true solar emissions from RFI. These essentiallycome under the following headings.
A knowledge of the equipment, its centre frequency, bandwidth, beamwidth and dynamic range can be most useful. This hasbeen published in a paper in "The Australian Physicist", among other sources, and can be made available through application tothe Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC).
Knowing the location of the site in question and a knowledge of the local transmitters can help find or confirm RFIsources. Such information is generally available from the communications agency of the host country.
A further and sometimes more immediately practical technique for identifying non-solar emissions is to comparecontemporaneous data from two or more sites (if possible). If only one site shows the emission, it is probably not solar. Ifthe same emission profiles are recorded by two or more RSTN sites, the emission is most probably solar in origin.
Lastly we should note that the data in each file will cover a local day (not a UT day). It also may start before or afterlocal sunrise, and it may end before or after local sunset. As a general rule, each radiotelescope should be tracking the Sunbetween an elevation angle of 3 degrees in the east to 3 degrees in the west, although some sites may vary this rule due tolocal obstructions. In any case, it would be wise for RSTN data users to be aware of local sunrise and sunset times for thesite that collected the data with which they are working.
Some general information:
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