What is my Kp-index?
To do this, you’ll check an index called Kp, a number from 0–9, which is used to rate the global geomagnetic activity for a 3-hour period. If the Kp is 5 or greater, the better your chances of seeing an aurora. The red bars indicate a Kp higher than 4, which makes your odds of seeing an aurora greater.
What is KP in weather?
The Kp-index describes the disturbance of the Earth’s magnetic field caused by the solar wind. The faster the solar wind blows, the greater the turbulence. The index ranges from 0, for low activity, to 9, which means that an intense geomagnetic storm is under way.
What does KP mean for Aurora?
geomagnetic activity
In order to know whether you have a chance of seeing an aurora, you need to know the level of geomagnetic activity at the time you are viewing. There is a simple index called Kp, a number from 0 to 9, which is used to refer to geomagnetic activity for a 3-hour period.
What is NOAA Kp-index?
The Kp-index The planetary Kp-index is a globally averaged indicator of the worldwide level of geomagnetic activity. The official Kp index is derived by calculating a weighted average of K-indices from a predetermined network of geomagnetic observatories, the official Kp network.
What is KP value?
The Kp-index is the global geomagnetic activity index that is based on 3-hour measurements from ground-based magnetometers around the world. The Kp-index ranges from 0 to 9 where a value of 0 means that there is very little geomagnetic activity and a value of 9 means extreme geomagnetic storming.
What KP to see southern lights?
We know that Tasmania stretches between latitudes 40-44 degrees south, with Hobart, Australia’s southernmost capital city, at 42 degrees south. With this in mind, a Kp5 or above is recommended for the best chance of an aurora being visible, with the naked eye.
What does KP 9 mean?
extreme geomagnetic storming
The Kp-index is the global geomagnetic activity index that is based on 3-hour measurements from ground-based magnetometers around the world. The Kp-index ranges from 0 to 9 where a value of 0 means that there is very little geomagnetic activity and a value of 9 means extreme geomagnetic storming.
Is the K index real?
The K-index quantifies disturbances in the horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field with an integer in the range 0-9 with 1 being calm and 5 or more indicating a geomagnetic storm. ‘ The K-index was introduced by Julius Bartels in 1938. SWPC has used the K-index since the forecast center began operations.
Where can I find the current Kp index?
Current Kp-index (provisional data) Data from GFZ Potsdam(planetary 3-hourly index of geomagnetic activity) Sunspot numbers from WDC-SILSO, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels You can browse a Kp-index archive(1932 to present) here: http://www.theusner.eu/terra/aurora/kp_archive.php Using this diagram on your homepage
What is the Kp index of the Earth?
This is the planetary K-index from the NOAA SWPC. This is a preliminary Kp-index that is updated every minute by the NOAA SWPC with an estimate of the measured Kp of the past 3 hours based on eight ground-based magnetometers around the world. This estimated 3-hour planetary Kp-index consists of 10 values and ranges from 0 to 9.
Why is the Kp index so important to SWPC?
The K-index, and by extension the Planetary K-index, are used to characterize the magnitude of geomagnetic storms. Kp is an excellent indicator of disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field and is used by SWPC to decide whether geomagnetic alerts and warnings need to be issued for users who are affected by these disturbances.
What is the Kp index for 3 hours?
This estimated 3-hour planetary Kp-index consists of 10 values and ranges from 0 to 9. It is important to understand that this Kp-index isn’t a forecast or an indicator of the current conditions, it always shows the Kp-value that was observed during a certain period. Loading…