Space Weather Forecasting: Active Times Ahead
SOHO/MDI magnetograms combined with the Potential-Field Source-Surface (PFSS) model can be used to generate a model of magnetic field lines in the lower part of the solar corona. When these models are compared to the loops visible in TRACE imagery, a bad match (as in this case) indicates that the region will generate flare events over the next few days.
This movie zooms in to the solar surface then fades to a time varying magnetogram. The PFSS model is overlaid on the source magnetic field, then compared to the TRACE loops. Following the region for several days, we see a major flare event.
A full-disk view of the Sun
A magnetogram closeup view of an active region. White indicates north magnetic polarity, black is south.
Overlay of the PFSS model on the active region.
The PFSS model is a poor match for the TRACE coronal loops.
A very bright flare event occurs within twelve hours.
The region continues to show activity.
The region continues to show strong changes.
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Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
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Animator
- Tom Bridgman (Global Science and Technology, Inc.)
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Scientists
- Carolus J. Schrijver (LMSAL)
- Marc L. DeRosa (LMSAL)
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Writer
- William Steigerwald (NASA/GSFC)
Release date
This page was originally published on Tuesday, August 16, 2005.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:56 PM EDT.
Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Datasets used in this visualization
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PFSS (Magnetic Field Lines) [PFSS]
ID: 409This model generated from SOHO/MDI magnetograms through the SolarSoft package.
This dataset can be found at: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/solarsoft/
See all pages that use this dataset -
Magnetogram [SOHO: Michelson Doppler Interferometer (MDI)]
ID: 618This dataset can be found at: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov
See all pages that use this dataset -
Continuum [SOHO: Michelson Doppler Interferometer (MDI)]
ID: 619This dataset can be found at: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov
See all pages that use this dataset -
195 Angstroms [TRACE: Optical Telescope]
ID: 620
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details, nor the data sets themselves on our site.