Saharan Dust in the Wind

Images

Thursday, 29 August 2024

Dense bands of dust streamed offshore from southern Morocco in summer 2024. The VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite acquired this image of a plume of Saharan dust as winds lofted it over the Atlantic Ocean on Aug. 24, 2024.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership

Planetary Positions

21.09.2024 at 12:47:20 UTC

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	29 Vir 01' 28"
The Moon	17 Tau 03' 12"
Mercury	21 Vir 06' 53"
Venus	28 Lib 04' 48"
Mars	09 Can 43' 23"
Jupiter	20 Gem 49' 03"
Saturn	15 Pis 01' 16" R
Uranus	27 Tau 05' 33" R
Neptune	28 Pis 30' 02" R
Pluto	29 Cap 44' 26" R

Solar Status

BZ Status:	2
Proton Density:	1.41
Proton Speed:	351.2 k/sec
KP Status:	1.33

Type	Sep 21	Sep 22	Sep 23
Active	25%	20%	10%
Minor	10%	10%	5%
Moderate	1%	1%	1%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	1.67	2.33	1.33
03-06UT	2.00	2.00	1.33
06-09UT	2.33	2.00	1.67
09-12UT	3.00	2.00	1.33
12-15UT	3.00	2.00	1.33
15-18UT	2.33	2.00	1.33
18-21UT	2.33	2.00	1.67
21-00UT	2.33	2.33	1.67
Solar Activity
Solar activity remained at low levels. Region 3831 (N12W09, Dao/beta) produced the strongest event of the period, a C3.9 flare at 20/1457 UTC. Minor growth was observed in its trailer spot over the past 24 hours. Three new sunspot groups were assigned numbers: Region 3832 (N13W45, Cro/beta), Region 3833 (N21W02, Bxo/beta), and Region 3834 (S14E65, Dso/beta). No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in available coronagraph imagery.
Solar Wind
Solar wind parameters were near background levels. Total magnetic field strength was between 4-7 nT. The Bz component was primarily northward. Solar wind speeds ranged from ~375-425 km/s. Phi angle was predominantly oriented in the positive sector.
Energetic Particle
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux reached high levels with a maximum flux of 1,240 pfu at 20/1820 UTC. The greater than 10 MeV proton flux was at background levels.

Saharan Dust in the Wind

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