[NZ4O Spaceweather] Solar Flux Index Drops Below 100 Again

[Thomas F. Giella NZ4O]

On Tuesday May 10, 2011 the daily solar flux index (SFI) fell below 100 
(97.5) for the first time since March 22, 2011. During this month the daily 
sunspot count has been as high as 90 but the sunspot groups have for the 
most part been small, weak and magnetically simple.

Radiowave propagation continues good on 15 and 12 meters but has become a 
bit more sporadic on 10 meters. 6 meters is seeing more and more sporadic E 
(Es) openings as we enter the traditional northern hemisphere warm season 
pattern.

For now the sun has returned to it's quiet state as we experienced in early 
2011 on back. Even as solar cycle 24 continues it's rise to a smoothed 
sunspot number (SSN) maximum of ~95 in December 2013, we will continue to 
see periods of abnormal sunspot production with groups small, weak and 
magnetically simple.

Several years ago all government, university and private entities were 
forecasting a very large solar cycle 24. As a now retired Solar & Space 
Plasma Physicist as well as a Meteorologist/Climatologist I was the only one 
forecasting a weak one. Unfortunately so far my forecast has been correct as 
I still believe the sun is headed for a Maunder type minimum in solar output 
and a continued cooling of earth's climate.

73 & GUD DX,
Thomas F. Giella, NZ4O
Lakeland, FL, USA
solarcycle24 at tampabay.rr.com

eMail Reflector Moderator & Owner

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