:Product: 0228RSGA.txt :Issued: 2012 Feb 28 2200 UTC # Prepared jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, # Space Weather Prediction Center and the U.S. Air Force. # Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity SDF Number 059 Issued at 2200Z on 28 Feb 2012 IA. Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 27/2100Z to 28/2100Z: Solar activity was very low during the past 24 hours. IB. Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be very low for the next three days (29 Feb - 02 Mar) with just a slight chance for an isolated C-class flare. IIA. Geophysical Activity Summary 27/2100Z to 28/2100Z: The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to active levels with a period of minor storm levels at some observatories during the local nighttime hours. Quiet conditions prevailed from the beginning of the period until about 07Z when a substorm interval began and continued through about 09Z. The planetary activity reached active levels but several individual stations attained minor storm levels during the disturbance. Activity promptly returned to predominantly quiet levels after the substorm and remained quiet for the rest of the period. The disturbance was preceded by about two hours of southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) seen at the ACE spacecraft (0510-0702Z, with maximum southward deflection of -11 nT). The IMF was otherwise predominantly northwards during the interval. ACE data also indicated a solar sector boundary crossing at about 1534Z. The greater than 10 MeV protons observed by GOES returned to background levels late on the 27th and remained there through the end of the period. IIB. Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet for the first two days (29 Feb - 01 Mar). A slight increase to quiet to unsettled levels is expected on the third day (02 Mar) due to a small but well positioned coronal hole. III. Event Probabilities 29 Feb-02 Mar Class M 01/01/01 Class X 01/01/01 Proton 01/01/01 PCAF green IV. Penticton 10.7 cm Flux Observed 28 Feb 103 Predicted 29 Feb-02 Mar 105/105/105 90 Day Mean 28 Feb 128 V. Geomagnetic A Indices Observed Afr/Ap 27 Feb 012/019 Estimated Afr/Ap 28 Feb 008/009 Predicted Afr/Ap 29 Feb-02 Mar 006/005-006/005-007/008 VI. Geomagnetic Activity Probabilities 29 Feb-02 Mar A. Middle Latitudes Active 05/05/10 Minor storm 01/01/01 Major-severe storm 01/01/01 B. High Latitudes Active 15/15/15 Minor storm 10/10/25 Major-severe storm 05/05/15